The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 11, 2005
Filed:
Jun. 24, 2004
Nikolay Korovin, Phoenix, AZ (US);
Robert J. Stoya, Cave Creek, AZ (US);
Nikolay Korovin, Phoenix, AZ (US);
Robert J. Stoya, Cave Creek, AZ (US);
Novellus Systems, Inc., San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are provided for conditioning of polishing surfaces utilized during CMP processing. The method comprises contacting the polishing surface and a conditioning surface with a first force, one of the surfaces coupled to a support member that has an axis. The polishing surface and/or the conditioning surface is moved at a constant velocity. Torque exerted by the support member about the axis to effect a relative position between the conditioning surface and the polishing surface is measured and used to obtain a process variable. The process variable is compared to a setpoint value for the relative position of the conditioning surface and the polishing surface. A second force is calculated and the polishing surface and the conditioning surface then are contacted with the second force, if the process variable differs from the setpoint value by more than an allowed tolerance.