Patent ID: 6767427
Filing Date: 2004-07-27
Classification: B24B,H01L

Abstract:
An apparatus for conditioning a polishing pad used in chemical mechanical planarization of semiconductor wafers, the polishing pad travels in a forward direction, wherein the polishing pad has a first point traveling at a first velocity and a second point traveling at a second velocity, the apparatus comprising:a non-rotatable conditioning member configured to engage a surface of the polishing pad and forming at least one microchannel in the surface, the microchannel enabling slurry transport and removal of debris or byproducts generated during a chemical mechanical planarization process, wherein the conditioning member includes a primary edge opposed to a secondary edge, wherein the first point defines a first path across the conditioning member from the primary edge to the secondary edge as the first point travels in the forward direction, the first path having a first length, wherein the second point defines a second path across the conditioning member from the primary edge to the secondary edge as the second point travels in the forward direction, the second path having a second length, wherein the second path does not intersect with the first path, and wherein the value of the first velocity multiplied by the first length is substantially equal to the value of the second velocity multiplied by the second length.