Patent ID: 6517414
Filing Date: 2003-02-11
Classification: B24B

Abstract:
An arrangement for conditioning a polishing pad of a chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) apparatus, comprising:a pad conditioning head; a disk carrier on the pad conditioning head, the disk carrier configured to receive and carry a polishing pad conditioning disk; an arm having first and second distal ends, the pad conditioning head being coupled to the first distal end; an arm support coupled to the second distal end of the arm, the arm support configured to move the arm to position the conditioning disk carried by the disk carrier against the polishing pad with a controlled amount of down force against the polishing pad; a down force sensor that measures the down force exerted by the pad conditioning head through the conditioning disk against the polishing pad; a controller that receives down force measurements from the down force sensor and controls the arm support to controllably vary the down force exerted by the pad conditioning head, wherein the controller is configured to receive the down force measurements and control the arm support during conditioning of the polishing pad; and a polishing pad wear measurement device coupled to the controller to provide the controller with polishing pad wear measurements, wherein the polishing pad wear measurement device includes a displacement sensor that measures changes in the position of the pad conditioning head relative to the polishing pad, wherein the controller is configured to control the arm support to vary the down force as a function of the polishing pad wear measurements and the down force measurements.