Methods for conditioning surfaces of polishing pads after chemical-mechanical polishing

1. A method for conditioning a surface of a polishing pad after chemical-mechanical polishing of a semiconductor substrate with the polishing pad surface, comprising:

providing an apparatus which includes a steam outlet port proximate a conditioning stone;

positioning the polishing pad with the polishing pad surface against the conditioning stone and displacing the polishing pad relative to the conditioning stone to rub the polishing pad surface with the conditioning stone; and

flowing material through the steam outlet port and across the polishing pad surface as the polishing pad surface is rubbed with the conditioning stone; the material flowing through the steam outlet port containing steam, and an entirety of the material flowing through the steam outlet port in addition to said steam being in vapor phase.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the steam is jetted onto the polishing pad surface to impact the polishing pad surface with a pressure of from about 10 psig to about 20 psig.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the steam has a temperature of at least about 200° F. as it flows through the steam outlet port.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the steam has a temperature of at least about 200° F. as it flows through the steam outlet port, and wherein the steam impacts the polishing pad surface with a pressure of from about 10 psig to about 20 psig.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the material in addition to said steam contains ammonium.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the material in addition to said steam contains ammonium citrate.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the chemical-mechanical polishing utilizes the polishing pad to polish a copper-containing material; and wherein ammonium is within the steam during the exposure of the polishing pad surface to the steam.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

removing the polishing pad surface from against the conditioning stone to complete the conditioning of the polishing pad surface with the conditioning stone; and

after the conditioning of the polishing pad surface with the conditioning stone is completed, exposing the polishing pad surface to additional steam.

9. A method for chemical-mechanical polishing of a semiconductor substrate with a polishing pad surface and reconditioning the polishing pad surface, comprising:

providing a semiconductor substrate having a surface which is to be chemical-mechanical polished;

providing a polishing pad proximate the semiconductor substrate surface and utilizing a surface of the polishing pad to chemical-mechanical polish the semiconductor substrate surface;

providing an apparatus which includes a steam outlet port proximate a conditioning stone;

positioning the polishing pad with the polishing pad surface against the conditioning stone and displacing the polishing pad relative to the conditioning stone to rub the polishing pad surface with the conditioning stone; and

flowing material through the steam outlet port and across the polishing pad surface as the polishing pad surface is rubbed with the conditioning stone; the material flowing through the steam outlet port containing steam, and an entirety of the material flowing through the steam outlet port being in vapor phase.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the steam is jetted onto the polishing pad surface from a plurality of nozzles generating overlapping spray patterns of the steam.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the steam is jetted onto the polishing pad surface from a plurality of nozzles generating overlapping spray patterns of the steam; and wherein the nozzle spray patterns are fans in which the steam impacts the polishing pad surface at angles of from 0° to 45 °.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the steam is jetted onto the polishing pad surface from a plurality of nozzles.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the steam is jetted onto the polishing pad surface to impact the surface with a pressure of from about 10 psig to about 20 psig.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein ammonium is within the steam during the exposure of the polishing pad surface to the steam.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein ammonium citrate is within the steam during the exposure of the polishing pad surface to the steam.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the semiconductor substrate comprises a copper-containing material at the surface which is chemical-mechanical polished; and wherein ammonium is within the steam during the exposure of the polishing pad surface to the steam.

17. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

removing the polishing pad surface from against the conditioning stone to complete the conditioning of the polishing pad surface with the conditioning stone; and

after the conditioning of the polishing pad surface with the conditioning stone is completed, exposing the polishing pad surface to additional steam.