Apparatus, systems, and methods for conditioning chemical-mechanical polishing pads

A method for conditioning a polishing pad, comprising:

• providing a polishing pad including a polishing surface;
• abrading at least a portion of the polishing surface with a conditioner including abrasive material that is etchable selectively with respect to a material of the polishing pad and that is secured relative to a conditioning surface of the conditioner;
• and
• exposing at least the portion of the polishing surface to at least one chemical to remove particles of the abrasive material from at least the portion without substantially degrading or dissolving the material of the polishing pad.

A system for conditioning a polishing pad, comprising:

• a polishing pad support;
• a conditioner including:
• a supporting substrate including a conditioning surface;
• and
• a plurality of abrasive elements exposed at the conditioning surface, the plurality of abrasive elements comprising a material that is degradable or dissolvable by at least one chemical that does not substantially degrade or dissolve a material of a polishing pad to be conditioned with the plurality of abrasive elements,
• the conditioner being positionable over the polishing pad support so as to place the conditioning surface in contact with a polishing pad disposed on the polishing pad support;
• and
• at least one movement component configured to move at least one of the polishing pad support and the conditioner laterally relative to the other of the polishing pad support and the conditioner and a source of the at least one chemical.

A system for conditioning a polishing pad, comprising:

• a polishing pad support;
• a conditioner including:
• a supporting substrate including a conditioning surface;
• and
• a plurality of abrasive elements secured relative to the conditioning surface, the plurality of abrasive elements comprising a material that is degradable or dissolvable by at least one chemical that does not substantially degrade or dissolve a material of a polishing pad to be conditioned with the plurality of abrasive elements,
• the conditioner being positionable over the polishing pad support so as to place the conditioning surface in contact with a polishing pad disposed on the polishing pad support;
• and
• at least one movement component configured to move at least one of the polishing pad support and the conditioner laterally relative to the other of the polishing pad support and the conditioner and a source of the at least one chemical.