Patent ID: 9156122
Filing Date: 2015-10-13
Classification: B24B

Abstract:
1. A method of monitoring a polishing surface of a polishing pad for use in a polishing apparatus, said method comprising: conditioning the polishing surface of the polishing pad by causing a rotating dresser to oscillate on the polishing surface; measuring a height of the polishing surface at a measuring point while said conditioning of the polishing surface is performed; calculating a position of the measuring point of the height on a two-dimensional surface defined on the polishing surface; associating the calculated position of the measuring point with a measured value of the height; repeating said measuring, said calculating, and said associating at a plurality of different points on the polishing surface of the polishing pad to obtain a set of measured values of the height and associated positions of the measured values; creating a height distribution of the polishing surface based on the set of measured values of the height and the associated positions of the measured values; creating a distribution of irregular detected points of the height of the polishing surface from the height distribution; and evaluating said conditioning of the polishing pad based on the distribution of the irregular detected points.