CONDITIONER FOR CHEMICAL-MECHANICAL-PLANARIZATION PAD AND RELATED METHODS

1 . A pad conditioner for conditioning a chemical-mechanical processing (CMP) pad, the pad conditioner comprising an abrasive surface having a planar land surface and a plurality of high-density silicon carbide protrusions extending from the planar land surface, the protrusions having high-precision shapes.

2 . The pad conditioner of claim 1 , wherein the high-density silicon carbide has a porosity of less than 5 percent.

3 . The pad conditioner of claim 1 , wherein each protrusion includes a height extending in a perpendicular direction between the land surface and a most-distant surface of the protrusion, wherein heights of the protrusions are in a range from 20 to 100 microns and a standard deviation of the heights of a sample of protrusions of the abrasive surface is less than 5.

4 . The pad conditioner of claim 1 , wherein each protrusion includes a base width in a range from 10 to 200 microns and a standard deviation of the base widths of a sample of protrusions of the abrasive surface is less than 7 microns.

5 . The pad conditioner of claim 1 , wherein spacings between protrusions of a patterned arrangement of protrusions are in a range from 1,000 to 10,000 microns and a standard deviation of spacings of the abrasive surface is less than 5 microns.

6 . The pad conditioner of claim 1 , wherein the protrusions include pointed tips and sidewalls angled relative to the land surface, and wherein angles of the sidewalls relative to the land surface are in a range from 30 to 70 degrees and a standard deviation of the angles of the sidewalls is less than 5 degrees.

7 . The pad conditioner of claim 1 , wherein the protrusions are conical.

8 . The pad conditioner of claim 1 , wherein the protrusions are formed by laser cutting.

9 . The pad conditioner of claim 1 , wherein the abrasive surface further comprises a coating of diamond deposited over the land surface and a plurality of high-density silicon carbide protrusions.

10 . The pad conditioner of claim 9 , wherein the coating of diamond is deposited by chemical vapor deposition.

11 . A method of forming an abrasive surface on a silicon carbide body, the method comprising: from a block of silicon carbide having a high-density silicon carbide surface, removing high-density silicon carbide from the surface to produce a plurality of high density silicon carbide protrusions extending from a planar land surface, the protrusions having high-precision shapes.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the high-density silicon carbide is removed from the surface by laser cutting the high density silicon carbide from the surface using a laser beam to leave the protrusions extending from the land surface.

13 . The method of claim 11 further comprising depositing a coating of diamond onto the protrusions and planar land surface.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the coating of diamond is deposited by chemical vapor deposition.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the high-density silicon carbide has a porosity of less than 5 percent.

16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein each protrusion includes a height extending in a perpendicular direction between the land surface and a most-distant surface of the protrusion, wherein heights of the protrusions are in a range from 20 to 100 microns and a standard deviation of the heights of a sample of protrusions of the abrasive surface is less than 5.

17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein each protrusion includes a base width in a range from 10 to 200 microns and a standard deviation of the base widths of a sample of protrusions of the abrasive surface is less than 7 microns.

18 . The method of claim 11 , wherein spacings between protrusions of a patterned arrangement of protrusions are in a range from 1,000 to 10,000 microns and a standard deviation of spacings of the abrasive surface is less than 5 microns.

19 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the protrusions include pointed tips and sidewalls angled relative to the land surface, and wherein angles of the sidewalls relative to the land surface are in a range from 30 to 70 degrees and a standard deviation of the angles of the sidewalls is less than 5 degrees.

20 . A method of conditioning a surface of a CMP pad using a CMP tool, the CMP tool comprising a rotating platen holding a CMP pad having a top CMP pad surface, and at least one carrier, having at least one opening, wherein the method comprises:

placing one or more pad conditioners in the at least one opening, the one or more pad conditioners comprising an abrasive surface having a planar land surface and a plurality of high-density silicon carbide protrusions extending from the planar land surface, the protrusions having high-precision shapes; and

providing contact and motion between the abrasive surface and the CMP pad surface.