Patent ID: 6949016

Claim:
A chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) conditioning apparatus designed to connect to a positioning arm, the positioning arm capable of applying the conditioning apparatus to a processing surface, comprising: a bearing adapter having a first side and a second side, the first side being configured to connect to the positioning arm, and the second side having a concave gimbal surface; and a puck holder being defined by a single integral component, the puck holder having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface having a convex gimbal surface that is configured to directly mate with the concave gimbal surface of the housing and the second surface defining a peripheral lip within which is received a conditioning puck, the conditioning puck having an attach surface and an active surface, the concave gimbal surface and the convex gimbal surface defining a projected gimbal point at about a plane defined at about the active surface of the conditioning puck, wherein the bearing adapter and the puck holder are connected at a center location of the CMP conditioning apparatus.