Keyed end effector for CMP pad conditioner

A conditioner for being rotated relative to, and for being applied to, a polishing pad to condition the polishing pad for chemical mechanical polishing of a semiconductor wafer, comprising:

• an abrasive conditioning implement having an abrasive front surface for being rotated in a rotation plane and applied to the polishing pad to condition the polishing pad, the abrasive conditioning implement having a back surface disposed in a spaced apart, oppositely facing, relationship with the abrasive front surface;
• an abrasive conditioning implement holder system for receiving and holding the abrasive conditioning implement with the back surface oriented toward the abrasive conditioning implement holder system and exposing the front surface for conditioning the polishing pad, the abrasive conditioning implement holder system for rotating the abrasive conditioning implement in the rotation plane so that the front surface remains in the rotation plane during the rotation;
• an interlock system for locking the abrasive conditioning implement to the abrasive conditioning implement holder system to prevent relative rotation between the abrasive conditioning implement and the abrasive conditioning implement holder system while the abrasive conditioning implement is being rotated, and
• the abrasive conditioning implement holder system and the interlock system having;
• a holder for holding the abrasive conditioning implement;
• a key formed in the periphery of one of the abrasive conditioning implement and the abrasive conditioning implement holder system;
• a key way formed in the periphery of the other of the abrasive conditioning implement and the abrasive conditioning implement holder system and being configured to matingly receive the key when the abrasive conditioning implement is being held by the abrasive conditioning implement holder system;
• and
• a magnet disposed between the holder and the abrasive conditioning implement, and having a key way configured to matingly receive the key, for holding the abrasive conditioning implement to the holder.