Apparatus and methods for brush and pad conditioning

Abstract

A method and apparatus for conditioning a processing surface of a cylindrical roller disposed in a brush box is described. In one embodiment, a method for processing a substrate is described. The method includes transferring a substrate to a tank, positioning the substrate between two cylindrical rollers disposed in the tank, moving each of the two cylindrical rollers into a first position where a processing surface of each of the cylindrical rollers contacts major surfaces of the substrate, processing the substrate by providing relative motion between at least one of the two cylindrical rollers and the substrate, moving each of the two cylindrical rollers to a second position that is spaced apart from the major surfaces of the substrate, the second position including contacting the processing surface with a conditioning device, and transferring the substrate out of the tank while conditioning the processing surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for processing a substrate, comprising:
 transferring a substrate to a tank;   positioning the substrate between two cylindrical rollers disposed in the tank;   moving each of the two cylindrical rollers into a first position where a processing surface of each of the cylindrical rollers contacts major surfaces of the substrate;   processing the substrate by providing relative motion between at least one of the two cylindrical rollers and the substrate;   moving each of the two cylindrical rollers to a second position that is spaced apart from the major surfaces of the substrate, the second position including contacting the processing surface with a conditioning device; and   transferring the substrate out of the tank while conditioning the processing surface.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 providing relative motion between the processing surface and the conditioning device.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein providing relative motion between the processing surface and the conditioning device comprises moving the processing surface relative to the conditioning device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein providing relative motion between the processing surface and the conditioning device comprises rotating the conditioning device relative to the processing surface. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein providing relative motion between the processing surface and the conditioning device comprises rotating the conditioning device relative to the processing surface. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein providing relative motion between the processing surface and the conditioning device comprises:
 rotating the conditioning device in a first rotational direction while rotating the processing surface in a second rotational direction that is different than the first rotational direction.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the first rotational direction is substantially parallel to the second rotational direction. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the first rotational direction is substantially normal to the second rotational direction. 
     
     
         9 . A method for processing a substrate, comprising:
 transferring a substrate to a tank;   positioning the substrate between two cylindrical rollers disposed in the tank;   moving each of the two cylindrical rollers into a first position where a processing surface of each of the cylindrical rollers contacts major surfaces of the substrate;   processing the substrate by providing relative motion between at least one of the two cylindrical rollers and the substrate;   moving each of the two cylindrical rollers to a second position that is spaced apart from the major surfaces of the substrate, the second position including contacting the processing surface with a conditioning device; and   transferring the substrate out of the tank while conditioning the processing surface by providing relative motion between the processing surface and the conditioning device.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein providing relative motion between the processing surface and the conditioning device comprises moving the processing surface relative to the conditioning device. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein providing relative motion between the processing surface and the conditioning device comprises rotating the conditioning device relative to the processing surface. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein providing relative motion between the processing surface and the conditioning device comprises rotating the conditioning device relative to the processing surface. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein providing relative motion between the processing surface and the conditioning device comprises:
 rotating the conditioning device in a first rotational direction while rotating the processing surface in a second rotational direction that is different than the first rotational direction.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first rotational direction is substantially parallel to the second rotational direction. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first rotational direction is substantially normal to the second rotational direction.