I think some work has been done in terms of CFD simulations of the polishing process. I think a good understanding of slurry for at the asperity level would be interesting. Specifically, as the lubrication regime changes from diect-->mixed-->hydroplaning, how does the slurry flow through the asperities.
Most of the CMP computer models that I am aware of are far from real-world and have limited utility. I do not think that a process dominated by art can be simulated accurately. Of course, the more terms one puts into a model can allow one to predict nearly anything. Diagonalizing a 10,000 by 10,000 matrix can yield a great simulation for almost anything depending on the eigenvectors that are input. Good models have as few terms as necessary. For CMP that requires terms that one can relate to a mechanical or chemical process - not adjustable empirical terms to make the model output closer to observation. More knowledge of the fundamentals of the basic process is necessary prior to building a meaningful computer model. I believe there are several groups working in this direction and making progress. Fred Higgs’ group is doing work to extend their CMP model.
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