Diamond Disc Pad Conditioning in Chemical Mechanical Polishing: A Literature Review of Process Modeling

Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) is a major manufacturing step extensively used to planarize semiconductor wafers. In CMP, the polishing pad surface is glazed by residues. A diamond disc conditioner is used to dress the pad to regenerate new pad profile and asperity in order to maintain favorable process conditions. This paper presents a review on process modeling of diamond disc pad conditioning in CMP. Following the introduction, the paper briefly introduces a technical background of the conditioning process and process control. It then summarizes research work on the various analytical process models proposed and ends with conclusions and topics for future research.