LAUSR

Abstract A Reynolds equation modelling chemical mechanical polishing in cylindrical polar coordinates is derived. Coriolis force effects are included in the derivation of the model equation. The main effect of the Coriolis force is to increase the magnitude of the peak pressure. A model for the peak pressure is given by max | p / p atm | ≈ κ / ϵ where p is the pressure, p atm is atmospheric pressure, κ = 5 × 10 − 8 is a constant and ϵis a ratio of the thin film height to the height of the Ekman boundary layer. The value of ϵis obtained through numerical experimentation. Using the physical experimental parameters we show that for Newtonian fluids ϵ = O ( 10 − 5 ) .