The In-situ Dressing of CMP Pad Conditioners with Novel Coating Protection

Kinik Company pioneered diamond pad conditioners protected by DLC barrier ($DiaShield^{(R)}$ Coating) back in 1999 (Sung & Lin, US Patent 6,368,198). Kink also evaluated Cermet Composite Coating (CCC or $C^3$, patent pending) with a composition that grades from a metallic (e.g. stainless steel) interlayer to a ceramic (e.g. $Al_2O_3$ or SiC) exterior. The metallic interlayer can form metallurgical bond with metallic matrix on the diamond pad conditioner. The ceramic exterior is both wear and corrosion resistant. The gradational design of $C^3$ coating will assure its strong adherence to the substrate because there is no weak boundary between coating and substrate.