The Development of an Ultrasonic Head for CMP Pad Conditioning

Abstract

The technology of ultrasonic assisted machining has been successfully used in many machining processes recently. Conditioning in the CMP not only can extending the life of the polishing pad but also improve process stability. In this paper we develop a brand new conditioning process with ultrasonic assisted conditioning UAC head for chemical mechanical polishing CMP process. The slurry came from inside the polishing spindle and had an independent cyclic system. As a result, this UAC device can remove polishing debris 4-6 times faster than conventional conditioning process. This conditioning process may even use water instead of slurry to reduce the cost of consumables of CMP. Key word: Chemical mechanical polishing CMP, Ultrasonic assisted conditioning UAC, Polishing Pad