Conditioner apparatus for chemical mechanical polishing

An apparatus for use in substrate polishing, comprising:

• a conditioner head constructed to receive an end effector for conditioning a surface of a substrate polishing pad;
• a support arm extending horizontally over the surface of the polishing pad and having one end coupled to the conditioner head for supporting the conditioner head above the polishing pad surface to be conditioned, the support arm having a channel constructed to convey fluid;
• and
• a pneumatic driver coupled between the support arm and the conditioner head and constructed to receive fluid through the support arm channel and thereby to apply an actuating force to extend and retract the conditioner head toward and away from the polishing pad surface, whereby an end effector attached to the conditioner head can condition the surface of the polishing pad.

A method for use in substrate polishing, comprising:

• providing a conditioner head constructed to receive an end effector for conditioning a surface of a polishing pad;
• supporting the conditioner head above the polishing pad surface to be conditioned with a support arm that extends horizontally over the surface of the polishing pad;
• and
• supplying pneumatic pressure through the support arm to a pneumatic driver coupled between the conditioner head and the support arm to apply an actuating force to extend and retract the conditioner head toward and away from the polishing pad surface to enable an end effector attached to the conditioner head to condition the surface of the polishing pad.

An apparatus for use in substrate polishing, comprising:

• a machine base;
• a rotatable substrate carrier constructed to receive a substrate for polishing;
• a rotatable platen mounted on the machine base to support a polishing pad for polishing a surface of the substrate;
• a conditioner head constructed to receive an end effector for conditioning a surface of the polishing pad;
• a support arm having one end mounted on the machine base and another end coupled to the conditioner head to support the conditioner head above the polishing pad surface to be conditioned;
• and
• a driver coupled between the conditioner head and the support arm to apply, from a position that lies along a line that is substantially normal to the polishing pad surface to be conditioned, an actuating force for extending and retracting the conditioner head toward and away from the polishing pad surface, whereby an end effector attached to the conditioner head can condition the surface of the polishing pad.