Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) is a crucial process in advanced semiconductor manufacturing, essential for achieving global planarization of the wafer surface, which directly impacts device performance and yield. Uniform material removal across the wafer is vital; however, non-uniformity frequently occurs, even with nominally uniform applied pressure. A prevalent issue is the edge effect, where the removal rate at the wafer edge significantly differs from that at the center, resulting in reduced uniformity and compromised device reliability. To tackle this challenge, this study explores the effectiveness of a multi-zone pressure-controlled carrier in enhancing polishing uniformity. Conventional single-zone carriers can only influence a narrow region of approximately 5–7 mm at the wafer edge, leading to limited improvements in nonuniformity of about 3%. In contrast, the multi-zone carrier allows for precise pressure control over a broader range, extending from 3 mm to 20 mm from the wafer edge. Experimental results show that this approach reduces non-uniformity to below 3% while effectively addressing edge removal deficiencies. These findings underscore the significant potential of multi-zone carriers to improve CMP process precision. Consequently, the proposed method is anticipated to enhance both productivity and quality in semiconductor fabrication.

This study determined the equivalent moment of inertia of the upper rotating body of an excavator, for the inertial endurance test of an excavator slewing system. The input speed and torque of the slewing reducer were measured by an excavator slewing test, and the equivalent moment of inertia of the upper rotating body of the excavator was calculated using iterative calculation. We developed a dynamic simulation model of the excavator slewing system, and validated the model by comparing it with the slewing test results. Using the validated model, we further developed a simulation model for the inertial endurance test, that considers the moment of inertia of the upper rotating body of an excavator. We concluded that the new dynamic model for the inertial endurance test of an excavator slewing system well exemplified the actual slewing test results.

The planetary geartrain can be reduced in size and weight, and has excellent durability since the input torque is divided by the number of planet gears when the power is transmitted. In order to improve its durability, the load sharing among planet gears must be even. However, of the various manufacturing errors possible, the carrier pinhole position error has the greatest influence on load sharing. This study compared and analyzed the load sharing and the gear safety of planetary gears, according to the phase of the carrier pinhole position error. We confirmed that load sharing among the planet gears varied, depending on the phase of the carrier pinhole position error. The mesh load factor is inversely related to the gear safety factor for bending and contact, and affects the durability of the planetary geartrain. Also, in the design of the planetary geartrain, the load sharing among planet gears is directly affected by the carrier pinhole position error and its phase. Therefore, the geometric tolerance must be managed efficiently, which needs to be reflected in the production drawings.