CAMP Professors make excellent progress as they investigate various fundamental aspects of the chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) process. CAMP's CMP team is led by Professor S.V. Babu (Vice Provost / CAMP Director), who recently presented the first Dongjin Lecture "Recent Progress and Emerging Challenges in Chemical-Mechanical Planarization" at the 2002 KSIEC Fall Meeting in Korea. Team members include Professors Ahmadi, Li, Matijevic', Partch, Rasmussen, Shipp, Sokolov, and Subramanian. Highlights of their work are provided

Chemical-Mechanical Planarization

Babu's research group continues to investigate various aspects of chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) of metal and dielectric films. Recent emphasis has been on mixed abrasives and 'engineered' particles in different chemical environments and on defect mitigation. The group's results show that some of the problems associated with the use of a single abrasive slurry, such as poor polish selectivity, surface defects and slurry instability, can be overcome by combining two or more different abrasives. They found that by using different particle sizes and by taking advantage of differing surface charges on the abrasives, both selectivity and polished surface roughness can be improved systematically. Their results have been presented at several conferences and published in journal papers, available at the CAMP website.

.

Vice Provost /CAMP Director S.V. Babu welcomes Governor George Pataki to CAMP. Front row from left: Provost Anthony Collins, S.V. Babu, Senator Raymond Meier, and Governor George Pataki.

Governor Pataki Visits Clarkson to Announce $4.5m Research Grant

Governor George Pataki recently visited Clarkson to announce a $4.5 million Gen*NY*sis grant for Clarkson University to use for biotechnology research. Gen*NY*sis (Generating Employment through New York State Science) is a biotechnology economic development program that was initiated in the 2002-03 state budget. Clarkson will use the grant to fund its Center for Assistive and Adaptive Technologies. This Center encourages interdisciplinary research and development in the areas of engineering, science, and health science

In addition the Board of Trustees of Clarkson University presented "The Bertrand H. Snell Award" to Governor Pataki, in recognition of his high levels of achievement, personal integrity, and community concern. This award was created to duly and publicly recognize individuals of outstanding merit and to assure remembrance of Mr. Snell's great contributions. Mr. Snell, one of the North Country's most highly regarded political leaders and entrepreneurs, served as a Clarkson trustee for 47 years.