Method and apparatus for conditioning a polishing pad used in chemical mechanical planarization

摘要

A method and apparatus for conditioning a polishing pad is described. The method includes steps of moving a cylindrical roller having an abrasive substance affixed to it against a moving polishing pad. The roller may be passively rotated by contact with the polishing pad, or actively reciprocated, while maintaining a pressure against the polishing pad. The apparatus includes a cylindrical roller attached to one or more pressure application devices mechanically connected to the roller.