A chemical mechanical polishing system includes a platen to support a polishing pad, a carrier head, a motor to generate relative motion between the platen and the carrier head, a steam generator including a vessel having a water inlet and one or more steam outlets and a heating element configured to apply heat to a portion of lower chamber to generate steam, a nozzle oriented to deliver steam from the steam generator onto the polishing pad, a tank to hold a cleaning fluid, a first valve in a first fluid line between the vessel and the nozzle to controllably connect and disconnect the vessel and the nozzle, a second valve in a second fluid line between the vessel and the tank to controllably connect and disconnect the vessel and the tank such that steam from the vessel heats fluid in the tank.

A chemical mechanical polishing system includes a platen to support a polishing pad, a carrier head, a motor to generate relative motion between the platen and the carrier head, a steam generator including a vessel having a water inlet and one or more steam outlets and a heating element configured to apply heat to a portion of lower chamber to generate steam, a nozzle oriented to deliver steam from the steam generator onto the polishing pad, a tank to hold a cleaning fluid, a first valve in a first fluid line between the vessel and the nozzle to controllably connect and disconnect the vessel and the nozzle, a second valve in a second fluid line between the vessel and the tank to controllably connect and disconnect the vessel and the tank such that steam from the vessel heats fluid in the tank.

A processing apparatus used in processing a workpiece having a device in each of a plurality of regions that includes a chuck table holding the workpiece, positioning means positioning the workpiece before grinding, resin coating means including a rotatable spinner table for coating the workpiece with a resin, cleaning means, a grinding unit, and a transfer unit. The transfer unit includes a first transfer unit transferring the workpiece from the positioning means to the spinner table and from the spinner table to the chuck table, a second transfer unit transferring the workpiece from the chuck table to the cleaning means, and a front/back surface inversion transfer unit taking over the workpiece from the cleaning means to the second transfer unit.

A processing apparatus used in processing a workpiece having a device in each of a plurality of regions that includes a chuck table holding the workpiece, positioning means positioning the workpiece before grinding, resin coating means including a rotatable spinner table for coating the workpiece with a resin, cleaning means, a grinding unit, and a transfer unit. The transfer unit includes a first transfer unit transferring the workpiece from the positioning means to the spinner table and from the spinner table to the chuck table, a second transfer unit transferring the workpiece from the chuck table to the cleaning means, and a front/back surface inversion transfer unit taking over the workpiece from the cleaning means to the second transfer unit.

A polishing apparatus includes a polishing station to hold a polishing pad, a carrier head to hold a substrate in contact with a polishing pad at the polishing station, a camera positioned to capture an image of a lower surface of a consumable part when the consumable part moves away from the polishing pad, and a controller configured to perform an image processing algorithm on the image to determine whether the consumable part is damaged. The consumable part can be a retaining ring on a carrier head, or a conditioner disk on a conditioner head.

A polishing apparatus includes a polishing station to hold a polishing pad, a carrier head to hold a substrate in contact with a polishing pad at the polishing station, a camera positioned to capture an image of a lower surface of a consumable part when the consumable part moves away from the polishing pad, and a controller configured to perform an image processing algorithm on the image to determine whether the consumable part is damaged. The consumable part can be a retaining ring on a carrier head, or a conditioner disk on a conditioner head.

A chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) pad conditioner assembly includes a backing plate including at least one polymer and at least one additive. The at least one additive is present in an amount sufficient to result in a backing plate having at least one of a magnetic property, a color property, a structural property, or any combination thereof. The CMP pad conditioner assembly includes a plurality of segments including a ceramic substrate and a plurality of laser textured protrusions integral with the ceramic substrate. The plurality of laser textured protrusions is coated with a conformal diamond layer.

A chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) pad conditioner assembly includes a backing plate including at least one polymer and at least one additive. The at least one additive is present in an amount sufficient to result in a backing plate having at least one of a magnetic property, a color property, a structural property, or any combination thereof. The CMP pad conditioner assembly includes a plurality of segments including a ceramic substrate and a plurality of laser textured protrusions integral with the ceramic substrate. The plurality of laser textured protrusions is coated with a conformal diamond layer.

Disclosed are a detection method and a detection apparatus for a polishing pad of a chemical mechanical polishing device, particularly a detection method and a detection apparatus for detecting a surface of a polishing pad dynamically. An isolation region isolated by a gas to expose the polishing pad is formed by the detecting device, and a detection is performed on the isolation region, such that the chemical mechanical polishing device is capable of detecting the polishing pad without interrupting a manufacturing process and the detection results with more accurate can be achieved. Thereby, the polishing pad can be repaired and replaced more timely.

Disclosed are a detection method and a detection apparatus for a polishing pad of a chemical mechanical polishing device, particularly a detection method and a detection apparatus for detecting a surface of a polishing pad dynamically. An isolation region isolated by a gas to expose the polishing pad is formed by the detecting device, and a detection is performed on the isolation region, such that the chemical mechanical polishing device is capable of detecting the polishing pad without interrupting a manufacturing process and the detection results with more accurate can be achieved. Thereby, the polishing pad can be repaired and replaced more timely.