Patent Publication Number: US-2019193245-A1

Title: Chemical-mechanical planarization (cmp) pad conditioner brush-and-abrasive hybrid for multi-step, preparation- and restoration-conditioning process of cmp pad

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates generally to conditioning of chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) polishing pads and, more particularly, to CMP pad conditioners having brush bristles and abrasive regions. 
     BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
     Manufacture of high-performance solid state devices requires an extremely precise and clean completion of a series of unit operations. One series of unit operations refines surfaces created and manipulated in the manufacture of solid state devices. Surfaces created in the manufacture of solid state devices must meet rigid quality control criteria that include a minimizing of irregularities from one point on the surface to another. Irregularities are characterized by deviations in topography over the surfaces or by transient chemical reactions, such as an undesirable oxidation reaction on a surface. Polishing the surfaces having the irregularities is one operation used to remove the irregularities. 
     One polishing operation is a CMP, also called chemical-mechanical polishing. This polishing (or planarizing) operation produces a desired surface topography by simultaneous performance of chemical etching with an etchant and mechanical buffing with an abrasive. In other words, it is a hybrid of chemical etching and free abrasive polishing. 
     The CMP operation is used to treat a surface of a silicon wafer. Specifically, wafers are mounted on rotating holders and lowered onto a pad surface that is rotated in an opposite direction to the rotating holders. A slurry of a silica abrasive suspended in a chemical etchant such as potassium hydroxide or ammonium hydroxide is applied to the pad. Polishing action of the pad mechanically removes the oxide or metal layers continuously, until the set thickness of the layer, as determined by process parameters, is reached. The goal of the process is to achieve local and global wafer planarization without creating any surface defects. 
     The CMP operation is also usable in the manufacture of an integrated circuit or a circuit section such as a metallized layer that is supported by a silicon wafer. Complex integrated circuits include multi-level metallized layers or patterns. These metallized layers are part of a dense circuit design, with a variable topography and a material mix. This type of dense design is enhanced by planarization of the metallic components, which allows precise imaging on the layers by photolithography, and which reduces thinning. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side elevation view of a wafer polishing apparatus applying first and second downforces (F 1  and F 2 ) through a polisher assembly and a pad conditioning assembly, shown partly fragmented, the pad conditioning assembly showing a cutaway view of a hybrid conditioner of  FIGS. 2-5  mounted to an end effector of the pad conditioning assembly. 
         FIG. 2  is a bottom plan view of the conditioner brush-and-disk hybrid (i.e., combination of brush and abrasives) of  FIG. 1 , according to a first embodiment having brush bristles that are substantially straight in a nominal, uncompressed configuration. 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the conditioner of  FIGS. 1 and 2  taken along lines  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIGS. 4 and 5  are enlarged cross-sectional views of the conditioner of  FIG. 1  subjected to, respectively, first and second downforces (F 3  and F 4 ) successively applied by the pad conditioning assembly to the conditioner during a multi-step, preparation- and restoration-conditioning process of a CMP pad. 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a hybrid conditioner, according to a second embodiment having angled or slanted brush bristles designed to flex laterally upon application of a downforce, applied during pre-conditioning (e.g.,  FIG. 4 ), that is less than that applied to the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-5  having substantially straight brush bristles. 
         FIG. 7  is a block diagram showing x- and y-force components (F x  and F y ) of a downforce (F 5 ) acting on a brush bristle of the non-straight brush bristle design of  FIG. 6   
         FIGS. 8, 9, and 10  are statistical plots and data tables showing experimental results of pre-conditioning using an abrasive conditioner at various downforces and pre-conditioning durations. 
         FIGS. 11, 12, and 13  are linear regression graphs showing extrapolations predicting times to reach target values of roughness parameters, including arithmetic average of absolute values (Ra) and root mean squared (Rq), for pre-conditioning at the downforces and associated conditions of  FIGS. 8, 9, and 10 . 
         FIG. 14  is a graph showing a time savings in achieving target pad surface roughness by using a conditioner disk, at various downforces, during pre-conditioning. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     Initially, the following terminology is used in this disclosure to describe types of conditioning of a CMP pad: preparation and restoration. Pad preparation, which is also referred to as pad pre-conditioning or simply pre-conditioning, means using a conditioner on a CMP pad preparatory to (i.e., before) a CMP polishing process so as to normalize a new CMP pad&#39;s morphology and surface and thereby establish a baseline condition suitable for a workpiece. Pad restoration means to remove debris formed during the polish and thereby rejuvenate the pad surface. Restoration may be performed between cycles (or sequential stages) of a wafer CMP polishing process, or it may be performed simultaneously with the wafer CMP polishing. When performed with the wafer CMP polish, the restoration is referred to as in situ pad conditioning or simply in situ conditioning. 
     CMP pad conditioners are referred to as conditioner tools or simply conditioners. Such conditioners are usually shaped as disks including brush bristles, one or more abrasive ceramic regions or regions of another rigid abrasive material, or some combination of bristles and abrasives. Generally, the abrasive-type conditioner tools are referred to as conditioner disks or simply disks, whereas brush-type conditioner tools are referred to as conditioner brushes (not to be confused with post-CMP brushes to clean wafers after the CMP process). 
     A typical conditioner brush design contains a polymer or plastic composite base with elastic or flexible (usually a kind of polymeric material, i.e., nylon) bristles that perform conditioning across uneven pad topography. A typical conditioner disk design contains a ceramic base with the pedestals mounted on the base. Outer surfaces of the pedestals are covered with abrasive diamond films, available in various degrees of roughness, deposited in various ways. Conditioning begins when a diamond film is in contact with a pad surface, as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 1  shows a polishing apparatus  10  used to planarize a thin film layer formed over a semiconductor substrate. During planarization, an upper surface of a table  20  carries a polishing pad  21 , which is fixedly attached to table  20 . A shaft  22  attached to a backside of a carrier  23 , also known as a quill, applies a downforce pressure F 1 —typically on the order of five pounds-force per square inch (PSI) or 34473.8 Pascal (Pa)—against the backside of a silicon substrate  25  that is thereby forced face-down on a confronting surface of pad  21 . 
     Carrier  23  holds the backside of substrate  25  in contact with the bottom of carrier  23  by a vacuum or simply by wet surface tension. An insert pad  27  cushions substrate  25  from carrier  23 . A retaining ring  26  is employed to prevent substrate  25  from slipping laterally from beneath carrier  23  during processing. 
     Pad  21  may comprise a relatively hard polyurethane, or similar material, capable of transporting abrasive particulate matter such as silica particles. The pressure of F 1  is used to facilitate the abrasive polishing of a surface of the thin film. In this manner, the thin film to be polished is placed in direct contact with the upper surface of pad  21 . Shaft  22  may also rotate to impart rotational movement to substrate  25  as a dispenser  28  applies a slurry to pad  21 . The slurry, as well as rotational movement, enhances the polishing process. 
     Additionally, a pad conditioning assembly  30  is provided for conditioning pad  21 . Pad conditioning assembly  30  comprises a conditioner arm  32  in which one end of arm  32  is coupled by a joint  34  to an end effector  36 . End effector  36  helps to ensure that a bottom surface  37  of a conditioner brush-and-abrasive hybrid  50  is uniformly in contact with pad  21  when undulations in pad  21  are present. The weight of pad conditioning assembly  30 , as well pressure applied by mechanical means such as motors or other actuators, provides a downward force F 2  of a predetermined process-specific PSI discussed subsequently in this disclosure. 
     Conditioners are available in different levels of aggressiveness in which the desired level of aggressiveness depends on the type of design (e.g., brushes are typically less aggressive than ceramics) intended for a specific CMP process. For example, conditioner disks of various degrees of aggressiveness are typically used for conditioning solid polymeric polishing pads, such as a IC1000υ pad available from The Dow Chemical Company of Midland, Mich., whereas conditioner brushes are typically used for conditioning highly porous poromeric pads, such as a POLITEX™ pad, also available from Dow. 
     Some CMP processes perform pre-conditioning using the same conditioner tool that is also used for in situ conditioning. But under such processes, pre-conditioning entails significant tool time because a less abrasive conditioner (e.g., one that is suitable for restoration) is also being used to achieve a suitable pre-conditioned state after a prolonged pre-conditioning treatment. On the other hand, using a more aggressive conditioner for pre-conditioning reduces overall conditioning time, but it may be too aggressive for later restoration. Accordingly, some CMP processes include a change of conditioner from more to less aggressive abrasiveness between, for example, the steps of pad preparation and restoration. 
     Changing conditioner tools entails stopping a polishing tool, removing a previously installed tool, replacing it with a new tool, and continuing the CMP process with the new tool. Thus, manual tool changes by the technician include retooling and technician delays. Tool-time loss can be as high as 30 to 60 minutes. And that time lost may actually offset any time saved by using different tools for the different steps of a CMP process. In other words, change of aggressiveness from one application to another entails physical replacement of the conditioner of one type with the conditioner of another type on the polishing tool. Physical replacement of the conditioner disks or conditioner brush on the polishing tool entails stopping of the tool and manual operations, such as unscrewing/screwing multiple screws to and from a conditioner holder or end effector. 
     This disclosure contemplates enhancements of a multi-step conditioning process including an initial step of preparation (i.e., pre-conditioning) and a subsequent step of restoration (i.e., intermittently conditioning and polishing, in situ conditioning, or combinations thereof). One example enhancement is achieved using a CMP pad conditioner brush-and-abrasive hybrid that has a combination of brush bristles and abrasive elements. The abrasive elements are readily deployed for pre-conditioning as the brush bristles are pressed (or otherwise flexed) such that they are not in use on a pad. But the brush bristles are still readily deployed for conditioning during pad restoration when they are not pressed out of use as less downforce is applied to the conditioner. Thus, a universal hybrid conditioner is capable of alteration of its aggressiveness without physically changing a conditioner on a polisher tool. 
     This disclosure describes a conditioner of a hybrid design that allows changing conditioner aggressiveness during a multi-step CMP-pad conditioning process without replacing the conditioner between steps. In one embodiment, aggressiveness can also be modulated during the process, e.g., during in situ conditioning. This feature of the hybrid conditioner saves significant tool time otherwise wasted during physical replacement of the conditioner of one type with the conditioner of another type and provides additional flexibility of the CMP conditioning process. Physical replacement of the currently used conditioner, e.g., to change conditioner aggressiveness, is not needed because a hybrid conditioner allows changing aggressiveness in situ or with a simple operation by the operator. Thus, the combination of the functions of a conditioner disk and conditioner brush in one conditioner provides significant saving of tool time and increase of tool availability. This capability of the hybrid conditioner also accelerates the CMP process, increases the useful life of CMP conditioner consumables, and provides for fine-tuning for various CMP processes. 
       FIGS. 2 and 3  show conditioner hybrid  50  that includes elements of brushes  60  and abrasive regions  70  in a single conditioner tool, which creates additional capabilities not available separately in conditioner tools having only brushes or disks.  FIG. 3  shows in greater detail a rigid (e.g., ceramic) base  74  and abrasive regions (i.e., cylindrical pedestals  80 ), and a brush base  86  and bristles  90 . Bristles  90  are formed of substantially discrete fibers, each generally depending from brush base  86  in a substantially consistent direction along its entire length; i.e., uncompressed fibers do not twist backward, curl, or web as in some types of matted brushes. The height of brush bristles  90  is also taller than that of pedestals  80 . Polymer/composite base  86  of the conditioner brush is attached to ceramic base  74  of conditioner hybrid  50  by, for example, adhering bases  74  and  86  together using a glue adhesive or other fastening means. 
       FIGS. 4 and 5  show, respectively, first and second steps of a multi-step conditioning process employing conditioner hybrid  50  of  FIGS. 1-3  to condition the surface of pad  21 .  FIG. 4  shows a first step, a pre-conditioning process in which conditioning assembly  30  ( FIG. 1 ) uses a downforce F 3  that is sufficiently high, such as between about two PSI (13789.5 Pa) and about six PSI (41368.5 Pa), to bring both bristles  90  and pedestals  80  in contact with pad  21 . Although brush bristles  90  and abrasive pedestals  80  contact pad  21 , diamond-coated (or other) abrasives are the major contributors to higher aggressiveness and pad cut rate (PCR) during the pre-conditioning process. In a second step ( FIG. 5 ), however, due to relatively lower downforce F 4 , only brush bristles  90  are brought into the contact with pad  21 . The second step is used, for example, for in situ conditioning. Accordingly, in situ conditioning is performed using a regular PCR as the downforce F 4  is reduced, for example, to four PSI (27579 Pa). Thus, conditioner hybrid  50  provides capability for increased PCR during pre-conditioning, and switching to regular PCR without manual changing of a conditioner brush with a conditioner disk. 
       FIG. 6  shows a conditioner hybrid  100  according to another embodiment in which longitudinal axes of brush bristles  110  are oriented at an angle, relative to a plane parallel with the surface of pad  21 . In other words, brush bristles  110  in the nominal condition define an angle with the surface that is noticeably less than 90 degrees. Brush bristles  110  in the nominal state are therefore not substantially perpendicular to the pad surface. As shown in  FIG. 7 , the angle helps reduce force used to flex the brush bristles  110  out of the way during the pre-conditioning step. 
       FIG. 7  shows a force diagram for a brush bristle  120  of conditioner hybrid  100  in which a downforce F 5  is applied to the brush bristle  120  during the pre-conditioning step. During the pre-conditioning process, conditioning assembly  30  ( FIG. 1 ) uses downforce F 5 , which is sufficiently strong to bring abrasive pedestals into contact with pad  21 , while bristles  110  ( FIG. 6 ), under components F x  and F y  of downforce F 5 , are forced to move horizontally or laterally relative to the surface of pad  21 . In other words, because terminal ends of brush bristles  110  readily bend to horizontal X and Y directions, they provide minimal or no contribution to pad pre-conditioning; pad pre-conditioning is thereby performed by abrasive regions that significantly reduce pad break-in time over the alternatives of using just bristles or swapping disks. Accordingly, angled brush bristles  110  take minimal or no role in pad pre-conditioning, and F 5  is typically less than F 3  ( FIG. 4 ). Moreover, as described previously, during a later step of restoration (e.g., in situ conditioning), downforce F 5  is further reduced such that bristles  110  return to a straighter position for in situ conditioning. In this position, pedestals are removed from the contact with the surface of pad  21 , and conditioning is performed by brush bristles  110  at a regular PCR. 
     Experimental Results 
     To demonstrate advantages of a conditioner hybrid used for pre-conditioning, experiments were performed showing how a pad preparation process could use abrasives to speed up processes formerly using only brushes for pre-conditioning. The concept was verified using a proprietary polishing process, as well as a research-grade CMP tool for polishing 300 mm wafers. Experiments were performed both at an Intel factory using a high volume manufacturing (HVM) polisher and metrology tools, and in a CMP lab using the research-grade 300 mm wafer polisher. Under the factory tests, accelerated break-in (i.e., pre-conditioning) of a poromeric pad was performed using a conditioner disk, which was found to save approximately six hours per pad change, or 36 hours of tool time per week. Removal rate and wafer defects (defects determined during wafer polishing using the pad, pre-conditioned per the described process) were, mostly, within the process control limits. Pad roughness was measured using a white light spectrometer. 
     In an HVM standard procedure, both pre-conditioning and in situ conditioning of a poromeric Fujibo pad, available from Fujibo Holdings, Inc. of Tokyo, Japan, were performed using a conditioner brush. Pre-conditioning using a conditioner brush may take many minutes or hours. To establish target values for Fujibo pad conditioning, pad roughness was measured after the pad was conditioned for a process-specific duration using the HVM tool. Then, to accelerate the pre-conditioning process, the tests used a Morgan conditioner disk available from Morgan Advanced Materials of Windsor, U.K., and measured Fujibo pad roughness after pre-conditioning for 5, 10, and 15 minutes at downforce of two, four, and six PSI. Additionally, fixed zone and regular HVM sweep conditioning were compared, as were conditioning in deionized water (DIW) and HVM slurry. In all of the above experiments, after the conditioning by the Morgan conditioner disk, Fujibo pad roughness was measured using a non-contact tool white light spectrometer. Table 1 summarizes consumables and criteria used during testing. 
     
       
         
           
               
             
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                 Conditioning Fujibo pads using Morgan conditioner disk 
               
               
                 Three-zone conditioning and regular sweep 
               
               
                 Disk downforces of two, four, and six PSI 
               
               
                 Three durations tested for each downforce: 5, 10, and 15 minutes 
               
               
                 Conditioning in DIW or, for sweep, in slurry APCI Cu4545 
               
               
                 Polishing tools: 
               
               
                 Factory polishing tool 
               
               
                 Research-grade 300 mm polishing tool 
               
               
                 White light spectrometer to measure pad surface roughness 
               
               
                 Factory metrology tools to measure wafer defectivity and removal rate 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
       FIGS. 8 and 9  show, at two and four PSI downforce, roughness comparisons—both in terms of Ra (left side) and Rq (right side)—between a CMP pad pre-conditioned using a conventional conditioner brush (at proprietary downforce and process time) and a CMP pad pre-conditioned using a Morgan conditioner disk (at the respective downforce for 5, 10, and 15 minute process times). Similarly,  FIG. 10  shows a roughness comparison—both in terms of Ra (left side) and Rq (right side)—between a CMP pad pre-conditioned using a conventional conditioner brush and a CMP pad pre-conditioned using a Morgan condition disk at downforces of two, four, and six PSI for 15 minutes time. As seen in  FIG. 10 , pad roughness after pre-conditioning with the Morgan conditioner disk at six PSI for 15 minutes exceeds pad roughness after pre-conditioning with an HVM brush. The statistical plots and data are renderings of analysis derived from the JMP (pronounced “jump”) computer program for statistics developed by the JMP business unit of SAS Institute. 
       FIGS. 11-13  indicate that, to reach the roughness values (Ra≈40 μm and Rq≈50 μm) that are the target values for a conventional conditioner brush at the pad end of life, three experimental results of  FIGS. 8-10  (corresponding to two, four, and six PSI) are readily extrapolated as follows. First,  FIG. 11  indicates that, upon extrapolation of the results of  FIG. 8 , a Morgan conditioner disk (at two PSI) may be used to pre-condition for a range of time of about 30 to 35 minutes. Second,  FIG. 12  indicates that, upon extrapolation of the results of  FIG. 9 , a Morgan conditioner disk (at four PSI) may be used to pre-condition for a range of time of about 22 to 30 minutes. Third,  FIG. 13  indicates that, upon extrapolation of the results of  FIG. 10 , a Morgan conditioner disk (at six PSI) may be used to pre-condition for about  12  minutes. These extrapolated findings are also summarized in Tables 2 and 3. Specifically, Table 2 shows target surface roughness values for conventional conditioning with the conditioner brush. Table 3 summarizes times desired to achieve target roughness values using a Morgan conditioner disk and time reduction as compared to a process of records (POR) process. 
     
       
         
           
               
             
               
                 TABLE 2 
               
             
            
               
                   
               
               
                 Target surface roughness values obtained after pad 
               
               
                 HVM conditioning using conditioner brush. 
               
               
                 Target Ra, Rq per conventional process: Brush + wafer 
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
            
               
                 Ra (μm) 
                 Rq (μm) 
                 Time (min) 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 40 
                 50 
                 160 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     
       
         
           
               
             
               
                 TABLE 3 
               
             
            
               
                   
               
               
                 Summary of conditioning time used to achieve target 
               
               
                 pad roughness values using conditioner disk. 
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
            
               
                   
                 two PSI 
                 four PSI 
                 six PSI 
               
               
                   
                   
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
               
            
               
                   
                 Time to achieve target 
                 30 to 35 
                 22 to 30 
                 About 12 
               
               
                   
                 Ra, Rq values (min) 
               
               
                   
                 Time reduction 
                 4.6× 
                 5.3× 
                 8.9× 
               
               
                   
                 compared to POR 
               
               
                   
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
       FIG. 14  shows dependency of time to achieve target pad surface roughness after conditioning using a conditioner disk. The time to achieve target pad surface roughness values using the conditioner disk decreases in nonlinear manner with an increase of conditioning downforce. Per Table 3 and  FIG. 14 , conditioning at six PSI provides the fastest acceleration of the pre-conditioning process, and downforce of six PSI was selected for HVM gross reality check (GRC) tests. 
     GRC HVM tests demonstrated saving time on pre-conditioning process/increase tool availability time by 36 hours per week, while wafer removal rate and wafer defects were, mostly, within control limits of the process. Pre-conditioning using a conditioner disk instead of a POR conditioner brush significantly reduces pre-conditioning time, as compared to the POR process based on using the conditioner brush. Time to achieve target values decreases with increase of conditioning downforce. 
     EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS 
     1. A chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) pad conditioner, comprising: a base having a major surface; an abrasive portion depending from the major surface and having an abrasive surface parallel to the major surface; and a brush portion affixed to the major surface so as to substantially encompass the abrasive portion, the brush portion having brush bristles depending away from the major surface to define a brush surface, in which, in a CMP pad pre-conditioning configuration, the brush surface is compressible so as to be at a first height that is substantially similar to that of the abrasive surface, and, in a CMP pad restoration configuration, the brush surface is substantially uncompressed so as to be at a height that extends past that of the abrasive surface. 
     2. The CMP pad conditioner of example 1, in which the brush bristles comprise angled bristles. 
     3. The CMP pad conditioner of example 1, in which the brush bristles comprise straight bristles. 
     4. The CMP pad conditioner of any of examples 1-3, in which the brush bristles comprise nylon bristles. 
     5. The CMP pad conditioner of example 1, in which the abrasive surface is configured to contact a polishing pad in response to a force applied to flex the brush bristles. 
     6. The CMP pad conditioner of example 5, in which the force that configures the abrasive surface to contact the polishing pad is between about two pounds-force per square inch (PSI), 13789.5 Pascal (Pa) and about six PSI, 34473.8 Pa. 
     7. The CMP pad conditioner of example 5 or 6, in which the force is about six PSI, 34473.8 Pa. 
     8. The CMP pad conditioner of example 1, in which the base comprises a ceramic base. 
     9. A system for polishing a surface of a workpiece, the system comprising: 
     a chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) polishing pad having a pad surface; a pad conditioning assembly; and a CMP pad conditioner brush-and-abrasive hybrid tool comprising: an abrasive portion depending toward the pad surface and having an abrasive surface parallel to the pad surface; and a brush portion in a region of the CMP pad conditioner brush-and-abrasive hybrid tool adjacent the abrasive portion, the brush portion having brush bristles depending toward the pad surface to define a brush surface, in which, in a CMP pad pre-conditioning configuration, the brush surface is under a first force to press the abrasive surface against the pad surface such that the brush bristles flex to move the brush surface to be at a first height that is substantially similar to that of the abrasive surface, and, in a CMP pad restoration configuration, the brush surface is under a second force less than the first force to maintain the abrasive portion in a recessed position relative to the brush portion, and the brush surface is at a second height that extends past that of the abrasive surface. 
     10. The system of example 9, in which the brush bristles comprise angled bristles. 
     11. The system of example 9, in which the brush bristles comprise straight bristles. 
     12. The system of any of examples 9-11, in which the brush bristles comprise nylon bristles configured to flex under downforce applied by the pad conditioning assembly. 
     13. The system of example 9, in which the abrasive surface is configured to contact the pad surface in response to a force applied to flex the brush bristles. 
     14. The system of example 13, in which the force that configures the abrasive surface to contact the pad surface is between about two pounds-force per square inch (PSI), 13789.5 Pascal (Pa) and about six PSI, 34473.8 Pa. 
     15. The system of example 13 or 14, in which the force is about six PSI, 34473.8 Pa. 
     16. The system of example 9, in which the abrasive portion comprises a plurality of ceramic disks. 
     17. A method of reducing tool time by preparing and restoring a chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) pad using a CMP pad conditioner brush-and-abrasive hybrid tool, the method comprising: preparing the CMP pad using a disk portion of the CMP pad conditioner brush-and-abrasive hybrid tool by applying a first downforce to the CMP pad conditioner brush-and-abrasive hybrid tool; and restoring the CMP pad using a brush portion of the CMP pad conditioner brush-and-abrasive hybrid tool by applying a second downforce to the CMP pad conditioner brush-and-abrasive hybrid tool, the second downforce being less than the first downforce such that the disk portion does not contact the CMP pad during the restoring. 
     18. The method of example 17, further comprising restoring the CMP pad by conditioning in situ during a polishing process. 
     19. The method of example 17, further comprising restoring the CMP pad by conditioning intermittently between conditioning and polishing steps of a polishing process. 
     20. The method of any of examples 17-19, further comprising preparing the CMP pad by pre-conditioning for a duration of about 12 to about 35 minutes under about two pounds-force per square inch (PSI) 13789.5, Pascal (Pa) to about six PSI, 34473.8 Pa. 
     21. The method of example 17, in which the first downforce is about two pounds-force per square inch (PSI), 13789.5 Pascal (Pa) to about six PSI, 34473.8 Pa. 
     22. The method of example 17, in which the brush portion includes non-straight bristles. 
     23. The method of example 17, in which the brush portion includes substantially straight bristles. 
     24. An apparatus for reducing tool time during a multi-step process of conditioning a chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) pad, the apparatus comprising: means for pre-conditioning the CMP pad using an abrasive portion of a CMP pad conditioner; and means for restoring the CMP pad using a brush portion of the CMP pad conditioner. 
     25. The apparatus of example 24, further comprising means for restoring the CMP pad by conditioning in situ during a polishing process. 
     26. The apparatus of example 24, further comprising means for restoring the CMP pad by conditioning intermittently between conditioning and polishing steps of a polishing process. 
     27. The apparatus of any of examples 24-26, further comprising means for preparing the CMP pad by pre-conditioning for a duration of about 12 to about 35 minutes under about two pounds-force per square inch (PSI) 13789.5, Pascal (Pa) to about six PSI, 34473.8 Pa. 
     28. The apparatus of example 17, in which the brush portion includes non-straight bristles. 
     29. The apparatus of example 17, in which the brush portion includes substantially straight bristles. 
     Skilled persons will understand that many changes may be made to the details of the above-described embodiments without departing from the underlying principles of the disclosure. The scope of the present invention should, therefore, be determined according to claims.