Method and apparatus for conditioning a polishing pad

摘要

A method of conditioning a surface of a polishing pad is used for conditioning a polishing pad on a polishing table for polishing a thin film formed on a surface of a substrate. The conditioning method includes bringing a dresser into contact with the polishing pad, and conditioning the polishing pad by moving the dresser between a central part of the polishing pad and an outer circumferential part of the polishing pad. A moving speed of the dresser at a predetermined area of the polishing pad is higher than a standard moving speed of the dresser at the predetermined area of the polishing pad.

主权项

1. A method of conditioning a polishing pad on a polishing table for polishing a thin film formed on a surface of a substrate, the polishing pad to be brought into contact with the thin film to perform the polishing, said method comprising:
bringing a dresser into contact with the polishing pad, the dresser being capable of wearing down an entire surface of the polishing pad uniformly when the dresser is moved at an identified standard moving speed, the standard moving speed being defined as a preset moving speed of the dresser at each of a plurality of radially-extending areas of the polishing pad along a radial direction of the polishing pad to obtain an identical wear rate over the entire surface of the polishing pad; and conditioning the polishing pad by moving the dresser between a central part of the polishing pad and an outer circumferential part of the polishing pad; wherein a moving speed of the dresser at a predetermined area of the polishing pad is higher than the standard moving speed of the dresser preset for the predetermined area of the polishing pad; and wherein the predetermined area of the polishing pad is defined as the area of the polishing pad to be brought into contact with a portion of the surface of the substrate whereat a polishing rate will be lower than a polishing rate of any other portion of the surface of the substrate if the predetermined area of the polishing pad was conditioned by moving the dresser at the standard moving speed.