Strasbaugh
6 EC
What it is
General reference — not yet source-verifiedThe Strasbaugh 6 EC is a chemical mechanical planarization machine used for wafer surface processing. In this equipment class, a wafer is held on a chuck and processed against a rotating pad with slurry and controlled pressure to remove material and improve surface flatness.
How it works
General reference — not yet source-verifiedCMP tools work by combining mechanical abrasion with chemical action at the wafer surface. A wafer is mounted on a chuck, brought into contact with a polishing pad, and exposed to slurry while pad motion, carrier motion, downforce, and process time are controlled to shape the removal profile and achieve planarity.
Where it fits in the process flow
General reference — not yet source-verifiedCMP sits in the middle of wafer fabrication and wafer preparation flows where planarization or controlled thinning is needed before later lithography, metrology, or device completion steps. It is commonly used after deposition or other topography-forming processes and before subsequent patterning or integration steps that benefit from a flatter surface.
Applications
General reference — not yet source-verifiedThis class of machine is used for planarizing semiconductor wafers, conditioning topography, and preparing surfaces for later processing. It is also used in laboratories and process-development environments where repeatable material removal and surface uniformity are required.
What do the numbers mean?
Power & electrical4
Configuration & options1
What does it need to run?
Site utility requirements, footprint, and infrastructure needed to install and operate this tool. Sourced from public records.
Where are the manuals?
Publicly hosted documents referencing this tool, linked at their original location. Hosted by the linked institutions — availability may change.
- CMP PrimerDocumentcornell.edu
Generated from public-source data on file. Enter your email to access — nothing is published; details are routed privately.
Not publicly documented
Field notes
No research found yet — worked with this tool? Share what you know.
Frequently asked questions
What does a CMP machine do?General reference — not yet source-verified
It removes material while flattening the surface, using a combination of abrasive slurry and controlled mechanical motion.
Why is planarization important?General reference — not yet source-verified
Planarization helps keep later process steps uniform by reducing surface height variation and making the work surface more level.
What is removed during CMP?General reference — not yet source-verified
Material is removed from the surface in a controlled way, often from higher areas first, so the overall topography becomes more even.
Where does CMP fit in manufacturing?General reference — not yet source-verified
It is used between fabrication steps when a surface must be made flat before additional layers or patterns are added.
What kinds of surfaces are processed by this class of tool?General reference — not yet source-verified
Machines of this class are used on semiconductor wafers and other precision substrates that need controlled flattening and finishing.
Not publicly documented
The following facts about the 6 EC are absent from this record as of this revision. First-hand knowledge or a citation closes a gap; every submission is reviewed before publication.
No publicly documented production dates or lifecycle milestones (introduction, end of production, EOL) for the 6 EC are on record.
Answerable by: OEM historical records or a trade-press announcement
No publicly documented variants, configuration options, or revision breakpoints of the 6 EC are on record.
Answerable by: an OEM product catalog or an engineer who ordered or specified the tool
The control-system platform and OS era of the 6 EC are not on record.
Answerable by: an engineer who operated it or OEM installation records
No publicly documented failure modes or field errata for the 6 EC are on record.
Answerable by: a field service engineer, process engineer, or maintenance technician
The process node or technology generation of the 6 EC is not on record.
Answerable by: an OEM datasheet or a fab qualification report
No research found yet — worked with this tool? Share what you know.
Sources & citations
Sources (5)Every fact above is drawn from these public sources
- [1]Inventory photo
- [2]Strasbaugh 6EC CMP - Claire & John Bertucci Nanotechnology Laboratory - College of Engineering - Carnegie Mellon Univers — nanofab.ece.cmu.edunanofab.ece.cmu.edu
- [3]Equipment List — nanofab.utah.edunanofab.utah.edu
- [4]CMP Primer — cnfusers.cornell.educnfusers.cornell.edu
- [5]nSPIRE 200mm WholeWaferDeconstruct (WWD) , sample preparation technique for frontside failure analysis — strasbaugh.com (Jan 6, 2009)web.archive.org
Last updated Jul 30, 2026.
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