Method and apparatus for conditioning a polishing pad with sonic energy

A method for conditioning a polishing pad used in chemical mechanical planarization of a semiconductor wafer, the polishing pad having a polishing surface for polishing the semiconductor wafer, the method comprising:

• applying sonic energy to an abrasive-free liquid carrier;
• and
• simultaneously transporting the liquid carrier onto the polishing surface of the polishing pad to dislodge particles from said polishing surface with sonic energy.

A wafer polisher for chemical mechanical planarization of a semiconductor wafer, the wafer polisher comprising:

• a polishing pad having a polishing surface for polishing a semiconductor wafer;
• and
• a pad conditioner for conditioning the polishing pad, wherein the pad conditioner comprises a sonic energy generator configured to transmit sonic energy to at least one discrete stream of an abrasive-free liquid carrier being transported to the polishing surface of the polishing pad sufficient to dislodge particles from the polishing surface of said polishing pad.

A pad conditioner for conditioning a polishing pad having a polishing surface for polishing a semiconductor wafer, the pad conditioner comprising:

• a sonic energy generator positioned above the polishing surface, the sonic energy generator comprising a transducer;
• a continuous, abrasive-free liquid carrier in flow communication with the transducer, wherein the transducer transmits sonic energy into the liquid carrier and the liquid carrier is applied to the polishing surface of the polishing pad, dislodging particles from said polishing surface of the polishing pad, wherein the polishing surface is conditioned such that particles are removed.