US 6,179,693 B2 · In-situ/self-propelled polishing pad conditioner and cleaner

Abstract

A non-motorized polishing pad conditioner and cleaner having a free-wheeling conditioner head with a plurality of channels to direct the flow of a cleansing fluid; a hollow shaft connected to a fluid source; and a conditioning pad to facilitate loosening the debris found on a polishing pad wherein the pad conditioner and cleaner is self-propelled upon contact with a rotating polishing pad. A cantilever may be used to attach the conditioner and cleaner adjacent to the polishing apparatus. The cantilever may contain a motorized element for extending and retracting the conditioner and cleaner over the radius of a polishing pad such that the entire surface of the polishing pad may be conditioned and cleaned. A method of conditioning and cleaning a polishing pad while simultaneously polishing a silicon wafer is also described.

Claims21

Dependent claims

An apparatus for in-situ conditioning and cleaning of a rotating polishing pad comprising:

a freely rotatable conditioner head having a top portion and a bottom portion, the bottom portion having a plurality of channels, said conditioner head being solely rotated by a rotational energy of said rotating polishing pad created by frictional contact alone of said conditioner head contacting said rotating polishing pad;
and
a hollow shaft extending from the top portion of said conditioner head connected to a fluid source,
wherein a fluid is adapted to be delivered into said conditioner head through said hollow shaft to flow along the channels of said conditioner head.

1 more element

A method of conditioning and cleaning a polishing pad while simultaneously polishing a silicon wafer comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a rotatable polishing pad;
(b) providing a silicon wafer in need of polishing;
(c) providing a silicon wafer holder to contact said wafer with said polishing pad;
(d) providing a conditioning and cleaning apparatus having a freely rotatable conditioner head having a conditioning surface, said conditioning and cleaning apparatus adapted to deliver a cleansing fluid through said conditioning surface;
(e) rotating said polishing pad;
(f) contacting a first portion of the rotating polishing pad with said wafer to polish said wafer;
(g) delivering a cleansing fluid through the conditioning surface of said conditioning and cleaning apparatus;
and
(h) contacting a second portion of said rotating polishing pad with said freely rotatable conditioner head of said conditioning and cleaning apparatus to effect rotation of said conditioner head and to condition and clean said polishing pad, whereby said conditioner head is solely rotated by a rotational energy of said rotating polishing pad created by frictional contact alone of said conditioner head contacting said rotating polishing pad.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

In-situ/self-propelled polishing pad conditioner and cleaner

Life of this patent

In-situ/self-propelled polishing pad conditioner and cleaner

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21