APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR CONDITIONING A POLISHING PAD

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for conditioning a polishing pad include a base, an arm pivotally coupled to the base and adapted to support a conditioning disk, and an actuator coupled to the base and the arm. The actuator is adapted to cause the arm to press the conditioning disk against the polishing pad with a linearly variable amount of force. A first force is produced with the actuator. The first force is scaled by a linearly variable amount to a second force that is applied to the polishing pad by a conditioning disk. Numerous other aspects are disclosed.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of an example of a leverage arm design apparatus for conditioning a surface of a polishing pad according to some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view depicting an example of a leverage arm design that employs a leverage arm ratio to relate the forces applied to the arm in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are schematic views depicting a conditioning disk coupled to an example of a leverage arm design via a flexible rotatable member in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an example pad conditioner apparatus having an applied leverage arm design in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a detailed perspective view depicting a portion of an example pad conditioner apparatus in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a detailed perspective view of a portion of an example pad conditioner apparatus including an applied leverage arm design in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of an example conditioner feedback apparatus in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a detailed perspective view depicting an example pad conditioner feedback apparatus that employs a force transducer in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a schematic view of an example driven conditioning apparatus in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a detailed perspective view of a motor coupled to a rotatable conditioning disk and an arm in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. An apparatus for conditioning a polishing pad comprising: a base;an arm pivotally coupled to the base and adapted to support a conditioning disk; andan actuator coupled to the base and the arm, and adapted to cause the arm to press the conditioning disk against the polishing pad with a linearly variable amount of force.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the actuator includes a sealed pneumatic cylinder coupled to a rod.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conditioning disk is coupled to the arm further from the pivot than the actuator is coupled to the arm.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein a ratio of a distance of the conditioning disk to the pivot along the arm and a distance of the actuator to the pivot along the arm is at least approximately 10:1.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a force transducer couple to the arm and the actuator and situated between the arm and the actuator, and adapted to measure a force applied to the arm by the actuator.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a further actuator coupled to the base and the arm, and adapted to cause the arm to press the conditioning disk against the polishing pad with a linearly variable amount of force.

7. A method for conditioning a polishing pad comprising: producing a first force with an actuator;scaling the first force by a linearly variable amount to a second force that is applied to a polishing pad by a conditioning disk.

8. An apparatus for conditioning a polishing pad comprising: a base;an arm pivotally coupled to the base and adapted to support a conditioning disk;an actuator coupled to the base and the arm, and adapted to cause the arm to press the conditioning disk against the polishing pad; anda sensor adapted to generate a signal indicative of an amount of force applied to a polishing pad by the conditioning disk.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the actuator includes a sealed pneumatic cylinder coupled to a rod.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the conditioning disk is coupled to the arm further from the pivot than the actuator is coupled to the arm.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein a ratio of a distance of the conditioning disk to the pivot along the arm and a distance of the actuator to the pivot along the arm is at least approximately 10:1.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a further actuator coupled to the base and the arm, and adapted to cause the arm to press the conditioning disk against the polishing pad with a linearly variable amount of force.

13. A method for conditioning a polishing pad comprising: applying a force to a polishing pad using a conditioning disk;measuring the force with a sensor; andgenerating a signal indicative of the force with the sensor.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein applying a force to a polishing pad using a conditioning disk further comprises applying the force using an arm adapted to support the conditioning disk.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein measuring the force with a sensor further comprises measuring a force produced by an actuator.

16. An apparatus for conditioning a polishing pad comprising: an arm adapted to support a conditioning disk; anda drive mechanism coupled between the arm and the conditioning disk,wherein the drive mechanism is adapted to directly rotate the conditioning disk relative to the arm.

17. A method for conditioning a polishing pad comprising: providing a drive mechanism having a rotary motion; andcoupling the rotary motion directly to a conditioning disk such that the conditioning disk rotates.

18. An apparatus for conditioning a polishing pad comprising: an arm adapted to support a conditioning disk;a drive mechanism coupled to the arm; anda flexible coupling between the drive mechanism and the conditioning disk adapted to allow the conditioning disk to tilt while transmitting rotary motion from the drive mechanism to the conditioning disk.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the flexible coupling includes a disk.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the disk is one piece.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the disk is plastic.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the drive mechanism is coupled to a center portion of the disk.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the conditioning disk is coupled to an outer portion of the disk.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the drive mechanism is coupled to an outer portion of the disk.

25. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the conditioning disk is coupled to a center portion of the disk.

26. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the flexible coupling includes a shaft.

27. A method for conditioning a polishing pad comprising: providing a drive mechanism having a rotary motion; andtransmitting the rotary motion to a conditioning disk via a flexible coupling that allows the conditioning disk to tilt while rotating the conditioning disk.