Abstract: A method for the caustic etching of silicon which is of importance for the semiconductor industry and silicon wafer manufacture in particular, that includes using one or more iodate or chlorite salts as additives in the etching process to achieve improved surface conditions, such as smaller facets and lower roughness, on the resulting silicon substrate.

Abstract: A method of removing noble metal material from a substrate having the noble metal material deposited thereon, such as a semiconductor device structure including thereon a layer of the noble metal material, e.g., iridium, patterned for use as an electrode. The substrate is subjected to chemical mechanical polishing with a chemical mechanical polishing composition containing abrasive polishing particles and a halide-based oxidizing agent. The CMP composition and method of the invention provide efficient planarization and noble metal material removal from the substrate, in applications such as the fabrication of ferroelectric or high permittivity capacitor devices.