Lam Research Corporation

Michael Labunsky

Andrew J Nagengast

Glenn W Travis

Tac Huynh

Anthony Meyer

Anil K Pant

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.

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

A technique for integrating a film thickness monitoring sensor within a load and unload unit of a cluster tool for performing chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP). In order to determine CMP performance, a sensor (or sensors) for determining film thickness is/are integrated within the load and unload unit of the cluster tool. Accordingly, film thickness measurements can then be taken at discrete times during the processing cycle without removing the wafer from the cluster tool.

Apparatus and method for film thickness measurement integrated into a

Method and apparatus for conditioning a polishing pad used in chemical

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San Carlos, CA, United States of America

Michael Labunsky