Non-abrasive conditioning for polishing pads
AssigneeSpeedFam-IPEC Corporation
InventorsClinton Fruitman, Mark Meloni, John Natalicio
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for resurfacing a polishing pad using non-abrasive techniques. These techniques include shaving, milling, or planing the upper working surface of the polishing pad using an edged cutting tool to alter the microtexture and micro-topology of the surface to produce a desired surface contour or planarity. This precise conditioning of the microscopic features of the polishing pad surface controls dishing in workpieces during polishing.
Claims20
An apparatus for conditioning a polishing surface comprising:
- a spindle;
- a housing attached to said spindle;
- and
- a plurality of cutting members having cutting edges mounted to said housing in a circular geometry, said plurality of cutting members each having a planar area proximate to their cutting edges to allow for “floating” and self-leveling of said cutting members.
An apparatus for conditioning a polishing surface comprising:
- a spindle;
- a housing attached to said spindle;
- and
- a plurality of cutting members having cutting edges mounted to said housing in a circular geometry, said plurality of cutting members each having a planar area proximate to their cutting edges to allow for “floating ” and self-leveling of said cutting members;
- wherein at least one of said cutting edges of said cutting members has a set pitch contour that is selected based upon an operating parameter wherein said operating parameter is a speed of rotation of said cutting member.
An apparatus for conditioning a polishing surface comprising:
- a spindle;
- and
- a slicing blade mounted to said spindle, said blade having a cutting edge that forms a less than 90 degree angle with respect to the polishing surface for slicing said polishing surface.
An apparatus for conditioning a polishing surface comprising:
- a spindle;
- and
- a cutting blade mounted to said spindle, said blade having a cutting edge that forms a less that 90 degree angle with respect to the polishing surface;
- wherein the edge of said blade has a set pitch contour that is selected based upon an operating parameter wherein said operating parameter is a speed of rotation of said blade.
An apparatus for conditioning a polishing surface comprising:
- a spindle attached to a housing;
- at least one cutting tool attached to said housing via bearings that allow said cutting tool to rotate about an axis for slicing said polishing surface;
- and
- a system for controlling a three dimensional position and speed of said cutting tool relative to said polishing surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.