A Geometrically Defined All-Diamond Pad Conditioner

This work presents a geometrically defined pad conditioner fabricated by anisotropic etching of silicon to produce a well-defined mold and subsequently CVD diamond layer is deposited on this mold. Finally, the silicon wafer is etched away, exhibiting the all-diamond tool surface. The new type of pad conditioner offers very sharp pyramidal tips, all equal in size. The excellent sharpness leads to high roughening capability while keeping the pad removal low. The precise tip position and height results in a unique uniformity of scratches produced, hence offering a new level of process control.