Chemical mechanical polishing apparatus, method of conditioning polishing pad for chemical mechanical polishing, conditioning assembly for conditioning polishing pad used in chemical mechanical polishing

Abstract

A conditioning device for conditioning a polishing pad used in chemical mechanical polishing includes a base having an opening and a conditioning disk removably attached to the base. The conditioning disk includes a conditioning portion disposed on a first surface of the base and a fitting portion removably fitted into or through the opening of the base. The fitting portion is fitted through or into the opening to base to prevent dislodging of the conditioning disk from the base during a process of conditioning a polishing pad for the chemical mechanical polishing process.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) apparatus, comprising:
 a polishing pad; and   a conditioning device including a base and a conditioning disk, wherein the base comprises a conditioning surface configured to face the polishing pad, the conditioning surface includes a recessed opening, the conditioning disk includes a first surface and a second surface, the first surface is configured to be magnetically retained in the recessed opening, and the second surface includes a conditioning portion configured to contact the polishing pad.   
     
     
         2 . The CMP apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second surface of the conditioning disk is configured to protrude above the conditioning surface of the base upon the first surface of the conditioning disk being magnetically retained in the recessed opening. 
     
     
         3 . The CMP apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the conditioning portion comprises a conditioning film. 
     
     
         4 . The CMP apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the conditioning film comprises diamond microcrystals or diamond nanocrystals. 
     
     
         5 . The CMP apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the conditioning film comprises diamond microcrystals having sizes ranging from 1 μm to 1000 μm. 
     
     
         6 . The CMP apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the conditioning disk has a diameter ranging from 1 mm to 100 mm. 
     
     
         7 . The CMP apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the conditioning device comprises a plurality of conditioning disks, the conditioning surface of the base includes a plurality of recessed openings, and first surfaces of the plurality of conditioning disks are configured to be respectively magnetically retained in the plurality of recessed openings. 
     
     
         8 . The CMP apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a platen supporting the polishing pad and configured to rotate the polishing pad. 
     
     
         9 . The CMP apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising a conduit configured to deliver a slurry to the polishing pad. 
     
     
         10 . The CMP apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the recessed opening includes a magnetic material, and the first surface of the conditioning disk includes a ferromagnetic material. 
     
     
         11 . A method of conditioning a polishing pad for chemical mechanical polishing, the method comprising:
 conditioning the polishing pad with a conditioning device, wherein the conditioning device includes a base and a conditioning disk, the base includes a recessed opening, the conditioning disk includes a first surface and a second surface, the first surface is magnetically retained in the recessed opening, and the second surface includes a conditioning portion for contacting the polishing pad;   removing the conditioning disk from the recessed opening of the base; and   inserting a replacement conditioning disk into the recessed opening of the base.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the recessed opening includes a magnetic material, and the first surface of the conditioning disk includes a ferromagnetic material. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the conditioning device comprises a plurality of conditioning disks, the base includes a plurality of recessed openings, and first surfaces of the plurality of conditioning disks are configured to be respectively magnetically retained in the plurality of recessed openings. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising identifying a conditioning disk of the plurality of conditioning disks needs replacement before the removing the conditioning disk from the recessed opening of the base. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the conditioning portion comprises diamond microcrystals or diamond nanocrystals. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the conditioning disk has a diameter ranging from 1 mm to 100 mm. 
     
     
         17 . A conditioning assembly for conditioning a polishing pad used in chemical mechanical polishing, the assembly comprising:
 a base including a recessed opening;   a conditioning disk including a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface is configured to be magnetically retained in the recessed opening and the second surface includes a conditioning portion configured to condition a polishing pad; and   a replacement conditioning disk.   
     
     
         18 . The conditioning assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the assembly comprises a plurality of conditioning disks, the base includes a plurality of recessed openings, and first surfaces of the plurality of conditioning disks are configured to be respectively magnetically retained in the plurality of recessed openings. 
     
     
         19 . The conditioning assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the conditioning portion comprises diamond microcrystals or diamond nanocrystals. 
     
     
         20 . The conditioning assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the recessed opening includes a magnetic material, and the first surface of the conditioning disk includes a ferromagnetic material.