Dual impact of Nd3+ doping on CeO2 abrasives: enhancing chemical and mechanical effects in chemical–mechanical polishing

Abstract As the demand for advanced optical glass technology increases, improving polishing slurries to enhance material removal rate and reduce surface roughness has become a priority. Cerium oxide is the most widely used abrasive for glass polishing, and its polishing rate is regarded to increase as the surface Ce 3 ⁺ content rises. To improve this, Nd 3+ -doped cerium oxide was prepared using a molten salt method. Morphological and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses showed that the Nd 3+ doping increased Ce 3 ⁺ content and transformed the particles into an octahedral structure. Additionally, Nd 3 ⁺ doping enhanced the mechanical action, as evidenced by an increased friction coefficient and reduced contact angle. When the doping amount is 4%, Ce 3 ⁺ content and material removal rate peaked at 47.87 nm/min, while the doping amount is 8%, mechanical and chemical synergy achieved the lowest surface roughness of 1.38 nm.