System and method for cleaning a conditioning device
View Patent ↗A system for cleaning a conditioning device to improve the efficiency of the conditioning of a polishing pad using the conditioning device as part of a chemical-mechanical polishing process, the system comprising a conditioning device; a fluid dispenser arranged to dispense a fluid on the conditioning device; and an acoustic nozzle arranged to emit a megasonic or ultrasonic signal at the conditioning device while the fluid dispenser is dispensing the fluid on the conditioning device.
1. A system for cleaning a conditioning device that is used to condition a polishing pad as part of a chemical-mechanical polishing process, the system comprising:
the conditioning device;
a fluid dispenser having a conduit arranged to inject a fluid onto a conditioning surface of the conditioning device and an acoustic nozzle arranged to emit a megasonic or ultrasonic signal onto the conditioning surface of the conditioning device while the fluid dispenser is injecting the fluid onto the conditioning surface; and
means for monitoring a condition of the conditioning surface of the conditioning device, wherein the means for monitoring includes an optical system having a laser emitter for emitting a laser beam at the conditioning surface of the conditioning device and a light sensor for determining an intensity of reflected laser light from the conditioning surface, wherein the conditioning surface of the conditioning device includes a diamond disk having an arrangement of diamonds coated on a surface of the diamond disk.
2. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid dispenser is arranged to dispense deionised water.
3. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid dispenser is arranged to dispense a chemical reagent.
4. A systems according to claim 3 , wherein the dispensed chemical reagent is NH 4 OH or KOH.
5. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the means for monitoring comprises means for monitoring deterioration of the conditioning device.
6. A method for cleaning a conditioning device that is used to condition a polishing pad as part of a chemical-mechanical polishing process, the method comprising:
injecting a fluid onto a conditioning surface of the conditioning device;
emitting a megasonic or ultrasonic signal onto the conditioning surface of the conditioning device while the fluid is being injected onto the conditioning surface; and
monitoring a condition of the conditioning surface of the conditioning device, wherein monitoring the condition comprises emitting a laser beam at a conditioning surface of the conditioning device and determining an intensity of reflected laser light from the conditioning surface, wherein the conditioning surface of the conditioning device includes a diamond disk having an arrangement of diamonds coated on a surface of the diamond disk.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the fluid includes deionised water.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the fluid includes a chemical reagent.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the chemical reagent is NH 4 OH or KOH.
10. The method of claim 6 , wherein monitoring the condition comprises monitoring deterioration of the conditioning device.
11. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the means for monitoring is to compare the intensity of light to a threshold.
12. The method of claim 6 , further comprising comparing the intensity of reflected laser light with a threshold.
13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising replacing the conditioning pad when the intensity is above the threshold.
14. A system for cleaning a conditioning device that is used to condition a polishing pad as part of a chemical-mechanical polishing process, the system comprising:
the conditioning device;
a fluid dispenser having a conduit arranged to inject a fluid onto a conditioning surface of the conditioning device and an acoustic nozzle arranged to emit a megasonic or ultrasonic signal onto the conditioning surface of the conditioning device while the fluid dispenser is injecting the fluid onto the conditioning surface; and
a monitoring technique comprising:
an optical system to monitor a condition of the conditioning surface of the conditioning device, the optical system having a laser emitter for emitting a laser beam at the conditioning surface of the conditioning device and a light sensor for determining an intensity of reflected laser light from the conditioning surface, wherein the conditioning surface of the conditioning device includes a diamond disk having an arrangement of diamonds coated on a surface of the diamond disk.