Method for selectively reconditioning a polishing pad used in chemical-mechanical planarization of semiconductor wafers

A method of chemical-mechanical planarization of a substrate against a planarizing surface of a polishing pad, the method comprising the steps of:

• selectively removing a layer of material having a desired thickness from the planarizing surface to achieve a desired substrate polishing rate based upon a predetermined relationship between substrate polishing rates and changes in pad thickness per conditioning cycle;
• pressing the substrate against the planarizing surface of the polishing pad in the presence of a slurry;
• and
• moving at least one of the pad and the wafer with respect to the other.

A method of chemical-mechanical planarization of a substrate against a planarizing surface of a polishing pad, the method comprising the steps of:

• selectively removing a layer of material having a desired thickness from the planarizing surface to achieve a desired substrate polishing rate based upon a predetermined relationship between substrate polishing rates and changes in pad thickness per conditioning cycle;
• measuring an actual change in pad thickness after the removing step;
• estimating a polishing rate of the substrate based upon the actual change in pad thickness and the predetermined correlation between substrate polishing rates and changes in pad thickness per conditioning cycle;
• comparing the desired polishing rate with the estimated polishing rate;
• adjusting a planarizing time of the substrate in accordance with the estimated polishing rate when the estimated polishing rate is sufficiently different from the desired polishing rate;
• pressing the substrate against the planarizing surface of the polishing pad in the presence of a slurry;
• moving at least one of the pad and the substrate with respect to the other;
• and
• stopping the pressing and moving steps at the planarizing time.

A method of chemical-mechanical planarization of a substrate against a planarizing surface of a polishing pad, the method comprising the steps of:

• selectively removing a layer of material having a desired thickness from the planarizing surface to achieve a desired substrate polishing rate based upon a predetermined relationship between substrate polishing rates and changes in pad thickness per conditioning cycle, the desired thickness being calibrated to provide a substantially constant substrate polishing rate over a plurality of substrates;
• pressing the substrate against the planarizing surface of the polishing pad in the presence of a slurry;
• and
• moving at least one of the pad and the substrate with respect to the other.

A method of chemical-mechanical planarization of a semiconductor wafer against a planarizing surface of a polishing pad, the method comprising the steps of:

• selectively removing at least a 0.6 .mu.m layer of material from the planarizing surface of the polishing pad before the wafer is planarized to achieve a desired wafer polishing rate based upon a predetermined relationship between wafer polishing rates and changes in pad thickness per conditioning cycle;
• pressing the wafer against the planarizing surface in the presence of a slurry;
• and
• moving at least one of the pad and the wafer with respect to the other.

A method of chemical-mechanical planarization of a substrate against a planarizing surface of a polishing pad, the method comprising the steps of:

• selectively removing at least a 0.6 .mu.m layer of material from the planarizing surface of the polishing pad before the substrate is planarized to achieve a desired substrate polishing rate based upon a predetermined relationship between substrate polishing rates and changes in pad thickness per conditioning cycle;
• measuring an actual change in pad thickness after the removing step;
• estimating a polishing rate of the substrate based upon the actual change in pad thickness and a predetermined correlation between substrate polishing rates and changes in pad thickness per conditioning cycle;
• comparing the desired polishing rate with the estimated polishing rate;
• adjusting a planarizing time of the substrate in accordance with the estimated polishing rate when the estimated polishing rate is sufficiently different from the desired polishing rate;
• pressing the substrate against the planarizing surface in the presence of a slurry;
• moving at least one of the pad and the substrate with respect to the other;
• and
• stopping the pressing and moving steps at the planarizing time.