Method of conditioning wafer polishing pads

• Main Authors: ZHANG, DAVID, ERK, HENRY F, VOGELGESANG, RALPH V
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 01.12.2001
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; DRESSING OR CONDITIONING OF ABRADING SURFACES; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; FEEDING OF GRINDING, POLISHING, OR LAPPING AGENTS; GRINDING; MACHINES, DEVICES, OR PROCESSES FOR GRINDING OR POLISHING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; POLISHING; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; TRANSPORTING

A method of conditioning a polishing pad for use with a polishing machine. The method includes installing the polishing pad to be conditioned on the polishing machine's platen and applying a conditioning load force to the pad. In addition, the method includes supplying a slurry to the pad at a conditioning flow rate. The conditioning load force is greater than a polishing load force applied during a conventional wafer polishing cycle to compress the pad and the conditioning flow rate is greater than a polishing flow rate at which the slurry is supplied during the wafer polishing cycle to load the pad's pores with abrasive material. The method also includes the step of operation the polishing machine for a conditioning cycle while applying the conditioning load force and supplying the slurry at the conditioning flow rate. In this manner, the polishing pad is conditioned for use with the polishing machine for subsequently polishing the semiconductor wafers with the conditioned pad.