Advances in physically based erosion simulators for CMP

Advances in two types of chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) erosion simulators are reported in the context of a CMP modeling overview. One advance is a physically based erosion simulation platform that is capable of simulating the complete erosion of multiple oxide features. The platform separates the erosion model from the stress model, making it easy to use and versatile. Another advance is the development of a hybrid approach to erosion modeling that mixes generic physics with phenomenological understanding. The hybrid simulator is capable of accurate three-dimensional erosion simulation across large patterns, a capability that will eventually lead to die-wide CMP simulation.