Method and apparatus for planarizing microelectronic substrates and conditioning planarizing media

A method of conditioning a microelectronic substrate planarizing medium, comprising:

• penetrating the planarizing medium and waste matter on the planarizing medium with a non-contact energy that enervates bonds between the waste matter and the planarizing medium by transmitting the non-contact energy through a liquid transmission medium held in a retention skirt contacting the planarizing medium;
• and
• separating at least a portion of the waste matter from the planarizing medium to remove the separated waste matter from the planarizing medium.

A microelectronic substrate planarizing medium conditioner, comprising:

• a support assembly having a support member positionable over a planarizing medium;
• and
• a conditioning head attached to the support member, the conditioning head having a non-contact conditioning element that generates a non-contact energy and a retention skirt depending downwardly to define a cavity for containing a liquid transmission medium through which the non-contact conditioning element sends the non-contact energy to waste matter on the planarizing medium.

A microelectronic substrate planarizing medium conditioner, comprising:

• a support assembly having a support member positionable over a planarizing medium;
• and
• a conditioning head attached to the support member, the conditioning head having a non-contact conditioning element that transmits a non-contact energy to waste matter on the planarizing medium, a carrier plate coupled to the support member and a retention skirt depending downwardly from the carrier plate, the carrier plate and the retention skirt defining a cavity, the non-contact conditioning element comprises a mechanical-wave transmitter coupled to the carrier plate, the mechanical-wave transmitter transmitting a plurality of mechanical energy-waves during conditioning, and a fluid system is coupled to the carrier plate, the fluid system having a conduit coupled to a fluid supply and an outlet open to the cavity, the fluid system delivering a fluid through the conduit and into the cavity to fill the cavity with the fluid when the retention skirt engages the planarizing medium, and the fluid in the cavity defining a transmission medium through which the mechanical-wave transmitter sends the mechanical energy-waves during conditioning.

A microelectronic substrate planarizing medium conditioner, comprising:

• a support assembly having a support member positionable over a planarizing medium;
• and
• a conditioning effector coupled to the support member, the conditioning effector having a waveform generator that generates an energy-wave and a retention skirt depending downwardly to define a cavity for containing a liquid transmission medium through which the waveform generator sends the energy-wave to waste matter on the planarizing medium.

A microelectronic substrate planarizing medium conditioner, comprising:

• a support assembly having a support member positionable over a planarizing medium;
• and
• a conditioning effector coupled to the support member, the conditioning effector having a waveform generator that imparts an energy-wave to waste matter on the planarizing medium, a conditioning head having a carrier plate coupled to the support member and a retention skirt depending downwardly from the carrier plate, the carrier plate and the retention skirt defining a cavity, the waveform generator comprises a non-contact conditioning element attached to the carrier plate, the non-contact conditioning element transmitting a plurality of energy-waves to the planarizing medium during conditioning, and a fluid system is coupled to the carrier plate, the fluid system having a conduit coupled to a fluid supply and an outlet open to the cavity, the fluid system delivering a fluid through the conduit and into the cavity to fill the cavity with the fluid when the retention skirt engages the planarizing medium, and the fluid in the cavity defining a transmission medium through which the energy-waves travel during conditioning.

A microelectronic substrate planarizing medium conditioner, comprising:

• a support assembly having a support member positionable over a planarizing medium;
• and
• a conditioning head attached to the support member, the conditioning head having a non-contact conditioning element with an emitter that generates a selected form of non-contact energy and a retention skirt depending downwardly to define a cavity for containing a liquid transmission medium through which the non-contact conditioning element sends the non-contact energy to the planarizing medium and waste matter on the planarizing medium, wherein the non-contact energy weakens bonds of the waste matter.

A microelectronic substrate planarizing medium conditioner, comprising:

• a support assembly having a support member positionable over a planarizing medium;
• and
• a conditioning head attached to the support member, the conditioning head having a non-contact conditioning element with an emitter that transmits a selected form of non-contact energy to the planarizing medium and waste matter on the planarizing medium, a carrier plate coupled to the support member and a retention skirt depending downwardly from the carrier plate, the carrier plate and the retention skirt defining a cavity, the emitter of the non-contact conditioning element comprises a mechanical-wave transmitter coupled to the carrier plate that transmits a plurality of longitudinal mechanical energy-waves during conditioning, and a fluid system is coupled to the carrier plate, the fluid system having a conduit coupled to a fluid supply and an outlet open to the cavity, the fluid system delivering a fluid through the conduit and into the cavity to fill the cavity with the fluid when the retention skirt engages the planarizing medium, and the fluid in the cavity defining a transmission medium through which the mechanical-wave transmitter sends the mechanical energy-waves during conditioning.

A microelectronic substrate planarizing medium conditioner, comprising:

• a support assembly having a support member positionable over a planarizing medium;
• and
• a conditioning effector coupled to the support member, the effector having a non-contact conditioning element with a mechanical-wave transducer that generates mechanical energy-waves and a retention skirt depending downwardly to define a cavity for containing a liquid transmission medium through which the mechanical-wave transducer sends the energy-wave to alter bonds between the planarizing medium and the waste matter.

A microelectronic substrate planarizing medium conditioner, comprising:

• a support assembly having a support member positionable over a planarizing medium;
• and
• a conditioning effector coupled to the support member, the effector having a non-contact conditioning element with a mechanical-wave transducer that generates mechanical energy-waves to alter bonds between the planarizing medium and the waste matter, a conditioning head having a carrier plate attached to the support member and a retention skirt depending downwardly from the carrier plate, the carrier plate and the retention skirt defining a cavity, and a fluid system is coupled to the carrier plate, the fluid system having a conduit coupled to a fluid supply and an outlet open to the cavity, the fluid system delivering a fluid through the conduit and into the cavity to fill the cavity with the fluid when the retention skirt engages the planarizing medium, and the fluid in the cavity defining a transmission medium through which the mechanical-wave transducer sends the mechanical energy-waves during conditioning.