Polishing system having selectable pad conditioner height and related methods

A method comprising:

• determining a value associated with contact between a conditioning disk of a pad conditioning assembly and a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) pad;
• determining whether the value is within a selected band;
• in response to the value exceeding the selected band, selecting a conditioning position of the conditioning disk by translating the conditioning disk in a first direction;
• in response to the value being below the selected band, selecting the conditioning position of the conditioning disk by translating the conditioning disk in a second direction, the second direction being opposite the first direction;
• forming a conditioned CMP pad by conditioning the CMP pad via the conditioning disk positioned at the conditioning position;
• and
• polishing a surface of a semiconductor wafer via the conditioned CMP pad.

A system, comprising:

• a polishing pad;
• a polishing head that, in operation, presses a wafer against the polishing pad;
• a pad conditioning assembly, including:
• an arm housing having an opening defined therein;
• a head carrier that, in operation, rotates a conditioning disk mounted thereto;
• and
• a selection assembly in the opening, the selection assembly, in operation, positioning the conditioning disk at a conditioning position, the conditioning position being along a normal direction associated with a major surface of the polishing pad;
• and
• a controller that, in operation:
• selects the conditioning position based on a value associated with the conditioning disk.