Patent ID: 7172491

Claim:
A method for monitoring polishing pads used for planarizing a microelectronic substrate, the method comprising: engaging a conditioning body with a first planarizing surface of a first polishing pad; applying a force to the first polishing pad via the conditioning body; moving at least one of the first polishing pad and the conditioning body relative to the other of the first polishing pad and the conditioning body; detecting a first frictional force of the first polishing pad on the conditioning body in a plane of the first planarizing surface; engaging the conditioning body with a second planarizing surface of a second polishing pad; applying a force to the second polishing pad via the conditioning body; moving at least one of the second polishing pad and the conditioning body relative to the other of the second polishing pad and the conditioning body; detecting a second frictional force of the second polishing pad on the conditioning body in a plane of the second planarizing surface; and comparing the first and second frictional forces.