Patent ID: 7229336

Claim:
A method for controlling conditioning of a continuous planarizing medium used for planarizing a microelectronic substrate, the method compnsing: positioning the continuous planarizing medium around a pair of spaced apart rollers to define a first planarization station and an opposing second planarization station; engaging a conditioning body with the continuous planarizing pad proximate to at least one of the first planarization station and the opposing second planarization station and moving at least one of the conditioning body and the continuous planarizing medium relative to the other while the conditioning body contacts the continuous planarizing medium to generate a frictional force between the conditioning body and the continuous planarizing medium, the conditioning body being coupled to a generally upwardly extending first support member and a generally laterally extending second support member being pivotally coupled to the first support member; transmitting a force to a force sensor indicative of the frictional force by pivoting the first support member to compress a force sensor between the first and second support members; and controlling at least one of a force between the conditioning body and the continuous planarizing medium and a speed of the conditioning body relative to the continuous planarizing medium in response to detecting the frictional force between the conditioning body and the planarizing medium.