Apparatus and method for conditioning and monitoring media used for chemical-mechanical planarization

An apparatus for measuring drag forces during conditioning of a chemical-mechanical planarizing surface, comprising:

• a planarizing medium having a planarizing surface for removing material from a microelectronic substrate, the planarizing surface defining a planarizing surface plane;
• a conditioning body adjacent to the planarizing medium, at least one of the conditioning body and the planarizing medium being movable relative to the other of the conditioning body and the planarizing medium for conditioning the planarizing surface, the conditioning body and the planarizing medium generating a force in the planarizing surface plane when the one of the conditioning body and the planarizing medium moves relative to the other of the conditioning body and the planarizing medium;
• a first support member having first and second ends and being rotatably coupled toward the first end to the conditioning body, the second end of the first support member extending away from the conditioning body;
• a sensor structured to detect the drag force;
• and
• a second support member coupled at a pivotable coupling to the first support member toward the second end of the first support member, the sensor being positioned between the first and second support members, the first support member being pivotable relative to the second support member to transmit a force to the sensor corresponding to the drag force.

An apparatus for monitoring conditioning of a planarizing medium used for chemical-mechanical planarization of a microelectronic substrate, comprising:

• a conditioning body having a conditioning surface configured to engage a planarizing surface of the planarizing medium, at least one of the conditioning body and the planarizing medium being movable relative to the other of the conditioning body and the planarizing medium to condition the planarizing surface, the conditioning body generating a drag force generally parallel to the planarizing surface;
• a first support member having first and second ends and being rotatably coupled toward the first end to the conditioning body, the second end of the first support member extending away from the conditioning body;
• a sensor operative to detect the drag force;
• a second support member coupled at a pivotable coupling to the first support member toward the second end of the first support member, the sensor being positioned between the first and second support members, the first support member being pivotable relative to the second support member to transmit a force to the sensor corresponding to the drag force;
• an actuator coupled to the second support member to control at least one of a generally normal force between the conditioning body and the planarizing medium and a position of the conditioning body relative to the planarizing medium;
• and
• a feedback device coupled to the actuator to control activation of the actuator in response to a signal received from the force sensor.

A method for monitoring conditioning of a planarizing medium used for planarizing a microelectronic substrate, the method comprising:

• engaging the conditioning body with the planarizing medium and moving at least one of the conditioning body and the planarizing medium relative to the other of the conditioning body and the planarizing medium while the conditioning body engages the planarizing medium, wherein the conditioning body is coupled to a support member for supporting the conditioning body relative to the planarizing medium;
• coupling a sensor to the support member;
• and
• monitoring the conditioning body to detect a frictional force between the conditioning body and the planarizing medium, wherein monitoring the conditioning body includes measuring a force transmitted to the support member by the conditioning body.

A method for controlling conditioning of a planarizing medium used for planarizing a microelectronic substrate, the method comprising:

• engaging a conditioning body with the planarizing medium and moving at least one of the conditioning body and the planarizing medium relative to the other of the conditioning body and the planarizing medium while the conditioning body engages the planarizing medium, wherein the conditioning body is coupled to a support member for supporting the conditioning body relative to the planarizing medium;
• detecting a frictional force between the conditioning body and the planarizing medium;
• and
• controlling at least one of a force between the conditioning body and the planarizing medium and a speed of the conditioning body relative to the planarizing medium in response to detecting the frictional force between the conditioning body and the planarizing medium, wherein detecting the frictional force between the conditioning body and the planarizing medium includes measuring a force transmitted to the support member by the conditioning body.

A method for monitoring a polishing pad used for planarizing a microelectronic substrate, the method comprising:

• engaging a conditioning body with a planarizing surface of the polishing pad wherein the conditioning body is coupled to a support member for supporting the conditioning body relative to the planarizing medium;
• applying a force to the polishing pad via the conditioning body;
• moving at least one of the polishing pad and the conditioning body relative to the other of the polishing pad and the conditioning body;
• and
• detecting a frictional force of the polishing pad on the conditioning body in a plane of the planarizing surface wherein detecting the frictional force includes measuring a force transmitted to the support member by the conditioning body.

A method for conditioning a planarizing medium used for planarizing a semiconductor substrate, the method comprising:

• engaging a conditioning body with the planarizing medium;
• moving at least one of the conditioning body and the planarizing medium relative to the other of the conditioning body and the planarizing medium to remove material from the planarizing medium, the conditioning body being coupled to a support member for supporting the conditioning body relative to the planarizing medium, the support member further including a generally upwardly extending portion coupled to the conditioning body and a generally laterally extending portion pivotably coupled to the upwardly extending portion;
• and
• maintaining an approximately constant frictional force between the conditioning body and the planarizing medium by detecting a force between the upwardly extending portion of the support member and the laterally extending portion of the support member with a force sensor and adjusting a relative velocity between the conditioning body and the planarizing medium.