Diamond conditioning of soft chemical mechanical planarization/polishing (CMP) polishing pads

Abstract

Conditioning of chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) using conventional diamond-embedded abrasive strips are well suited to condition conventional “hard” polishing but not soft polishing pads because the diamonds not only remove waste material, but they also damage the polishing surface of the pad. Embodiments of the present invention condition soft polishing pads using diamond strips without damaging the soft polishing pad.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of conditioning a chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) polishing pad, comprising: 
 conditioning a soft polishing pad using diamond conditioner.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 rotating a soft polishing pad on a platen;    rinsing the soft polishing pad; and    passing a diamond conditioner over the soft polishing pad.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 applying zero pounds per square inch (psi) to the soft polishing pad from the platen.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein passing the conditioning arm having the diamond conditioner thereon over the soft polishing pad comprises passing the diamond conditioner over the soft polishing pad during wafer polishing.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein passing the conditioning arm having the diamond conditioner thereon over the soft polishing pad comprises passing the diamond conditioner over the soft polishing pad between wafer polishings.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising rotating a wafer against the soft polishing pad.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising applying a slurry to the surface of the soft polishing pad.  
     
     
         8 . A chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) system, comprising: 
 a head mounted in a housing;    a wafer mounted to the head;    a platen mounted in the housing;    a soft polishing pad mounted to the platen;    a pad conditioning arm mounted in the housing; and    a diamond conditioner mounted to the pad conditioning arm.    
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising a slurry tank mounted in the housing.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising a water tank mounted in the housing.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising electromechanical equipment mounted in the housing.  
     
     
         12 . A chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) apparatus, comprising: 
 a soft polishing pad adhered to a platen in a housing; and    a pad conditioning arm mounted in the housing, the pad conditioning arm having a diamond conditioner attached thereto.    
     
     
         13 . The CMP apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the soft polishing pad comprises napped poromerics-porous urethane layers on a substantially compressible substrate.  
     
     
         14 . The CMP apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the soft polishing pad comprises napped poromerics-porous urethane layers on a mylar substrate.  
     
     
         15 . The CMP apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the soft polishing pad comprises napped poromerics-porous urethane layers on a substantially compressible urethane substrate.  
     
     
         16 . The CMP apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the diamond conditioner comprises a diamond strip.  
     
     
         17 . The CMP apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the diamond strip comprises synthetic diamonds embedded in a base.