The future X-ray observatory missions require grazing-incidence x-ray optics with angular resolution of < 5 arcsec halfpower diameter. The achievable resolution depends ultimately on the quality of polished mandrels from which the shells are replicated. With an aim to fabricate better shells, and reduce the cost/time of mandrel production, a computercontrolled polishing machine is developed for...

In the moulds and dies manufacturing it is important to reduce the manual polishing time after end milling processes. The polishing difficulty is related to surface topography shape and roughness values obtained in the previous end milling processes. It is interesting to develop a methodology and a test to evaluate the polishing difficulty. The aim of the present work is to establish a methodol...

The polishing process is the most common technology used in applications where a high level of surface quality is demanded. The automation of polishing processes is especially difficult due to the high level of skill and dexterity that is required. Much of this difficulty arises because of the lack of reliable data on the effect of the polishing parameters on the resulting surface roughness. An...

Advancements in robotic and automation industries have influenced many manual manufacturing operations. With a great level of success, robots have taken over from man in many processes such as part manufacturing, transfer and assembly. However, in other traditionally manual operations such as polishing, automation has only partially been successful, typically limited to parts with simple geomet...

Computer controlled polishing requires accurate knowledge of the tool influence function (TIF) for the polishing tool (i.e. lap). While a linear Preston's model for material removal allows the TIF to be determined for most cases, nonlinear removal behavior as the tool runs over the edge of the part introduces a difficulty in modeling the edge TIF. We provide a new parametric model that fits 5 p...

The Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) process is now widely employed in the manufacture of Ultra-Large-Scale Integrated (ULSI) circuits. Yet, the effects of various process parameters on the material removal rate (MRR) and the resulting surface topography are not well understood. In this chapter, accordingly, several polishing models are reviewed with emphasis on the mechanical aspects of CMP...

Problem statement: Abrasive is one of key influencing factors on the polished surface quality in Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP). Solid abrasives in CMP slurries are easy to cause polishing scratches. It is well known that reducing the hardness of abrasives would improve the polished surface quality. Therefore, the change in structure or shape of the abrasives means a change in polished sur...

A formidable challenge in the present multi-step Cu CMP process, employed in the ultra-large-scale integration (ULSI) technology, is the control of wafer surface non-uniformity, which primarily is due to dielectric erosion and Cu dishing. In contrast with the earlier experimental and semi-theoretical investigations, a systematic way of characterizing and modeling dielectric erosion in both sing...

This article discusses the recent advances in polishing of advanced materials. Ninety-five journal articles published in 2005–2007 are briefly introduced. The topics are advances in chemical mechanical polishing (CMP), fluids for polishing, modeling of polishing, polishing of brittle materials, robotic polishing, polishing with vibrations or beams, and friction in polishing processes. CMP is pe...