Patent ID: 6648731
Filing Date: 2003-11-18
Classification: B24B

Abstract:
A polishing pad conditioning apparatus in a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus having a polishing pad for performing wafer polishing, and a rotation plate for supporting the polishing pad, the polishing pad conditioning apparatus comprising:a conditioning plate which maintains a predetermined relative velocity with respect to the polishing pad, extends from a center region near a rotation center of the polishing pad to a peripheral region near an edge of the polishing pad, and has a polishing portion with polishing particles embedded into a bottom surface; a force generating portion for applying a force to the conditioning plate so that the conditioning plate presses against the polishing pad with pressure that varies according to position on the polishing pad, the pressure decreasing linearly or non-linearly across the polishing pad from its center region to its peripheral region, and the conditioning plate conditions the polishing pad by relative linear velocity and pressure with respect to the polishing pad; and a supporting portion for supporting the force generating portion.