Abstract: Improved slurry compositions comprising silicon carbide particles and alumina particles dispersed within an aqueous medium. Slurry compositions in the form of abrasive slurry compositions for use chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) processes, particularly abrasive slurry compositions for polishing of sapphire, and methods of use.

Abstract: A sapphire substrate includes a generally planar surface having a crystallographic orientation selected from the group consisting of a-plane, r-plane, m-plane, and c-plane orientations, and having a nTTV of not greater than about 0.037 ?m/cm2, wherein nTTV is total thickness variation normalized for surface area of the generally planar surface, the substrate having a diameter not less than about 9.0 cm.

Abstract: A sapphire substrate includes a generally planar surface having a crystallographic orientation selected from the group consisting of a-plane, r-plane, m-plane, and c-plane orientations, and having a nTTV of not greater than about 0.037 ?m/cm2, wherein nTTV is total thickness variation normalized for surface area of the generally planar surface, the substrate having a diameter not less than about 9.0 cm.

Abstract: The invention provides a chemical-mechanical polishing system comprising a polishing component, a surfactant, and a liquid carrier. The invention further provides a method of chemically-mechanically polishing a substrate with the polishing system.

Abstract: The invention provides chemical-mechanical polishing systems, and methods of polishing a substrate using the polishing systems, comprising (a) an abrasive, (b) a liquid carrier, and (c) a positively charged polyelectrolyte with a molecular weight of about 15,000 or more, wherein the abrasive comprises particles that are electrostatically associated with the positively charged polyelectrolyte.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of polishing a substrate comprising (i) contacting a substrate with a polishing system comprising (a) an abrasive, a polishing pad, a means for oxidizing a substrate, or any combination thereof, (b) a conducting polymer having an electrical conductivity of about 10?10 S/cm to about 106 S/cm, and (c) a liquid carrier, and (ii) abrading or removing at least a portion of the substrate to polish the substrate.

Abstract: The invention provides a chemical-mechanical polishing system and method comprising a liquid carrier, a polishing pad and/or an abrasive, and at least one amine-containing polymer, wherein the amine-containing polymer has about 5 or more sequential atoms separating the nitrogen atoms of the amino functional groups or is a block copolymer with at least one polymer block comprising one or more amine functional groups and at least one polymer block not comprising any amine functional groups.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for polishing one or more layers of a multi-layer substrate that includes a first metal layer and a second layer comprising (i) contacting the first metal layer with a polishing system comprising a liquid carrier, at least one oxidizing agent, at least one polishing additive that increases the rate at which the system polishes at least one layer of the substrate, at least one stopping compound with a polishing selectivity of the first metal layer:second layer of at least about 30:1, wherein the stopping compound is a cationically charged nitrogen containing compound selected from compounds comprising amines, imines, amides, imides, and mixtures thereof, and a polishing pad and/or an abrasive, and (ii) polishing the first metal layer with the system until at least a portion of the first metal layer is removed from the substrate.

Abstract: The invention provides a system for polishing one or more layers of a multi-layer substrate that includes a first metal layer and a second layer comprising (i) a liquid carrier, (ii) at least one oxidizing agent, (iii) at least one polishing additive that increases the rate at which the system polishes at least one layer of the substrate, (iv) at least one stopping compound with a polishing selectivity of the first metal layer:second layer of at least about 30:1, and (v) a polishing pad and/or an abrasive. The invention also provides a composition comprising (i) a liquid carrier, (ii) at least one oxidizing agent, (iii) at least one polishing additive (iv) at least one stopping compound with a polishing selectivity of the first metal layer:second layer of at least about 30:1, to be used with (v) a polishing pad and/or an abrasive.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for polishing one or more layers of a multi-layer substrate that includes a first metal layer and a second layer comprising (i) contacting the first metal layer with a polishing system comprising a liquid carrier, at least one oxidizing agent, at least one polishing additive that increases the rate at which the system polishes at least one layer of the substrate, wherein the polishing additive is selected from the group consisting of pyrophosphates, condensed phosphates, phosphonic acids and salts thereof, amines, amino alcohols, amides, imines, imino acids, nitriles, nitros, thiols thioesters, thioethers, carbothiolic acids, carbothionic acids, thiocarboxylic acids, thiosalicylic acids, and mixtures thereof, and a polishing pad and/or an abrasive, and (ii) polishing the first metal layer with the system until at least a portion of the first metal layer is removed from the substrate.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of reducing in-trench smearing during polishing. The method comprises providing a substrate comprising a first layer comprising an insulating material, a second layer comprising a filling material, and a plurality of field and trench regions. A polymeric material is infiltrated over the substrate, wherein the polymeric material fills the trench regions and covers the field regions. The polymeric material optionally is removed from the field regions, followed by baking of the substrate such that the polymeric material in the trench regions becomes recessed below the insulating material of the field regions. The substrate is then subjected to a temperature of about 100° C. or more for about 30 minutes or longer, such that during polishing of the substrate, smearing of the filling material in the trench regions is reduced as compared to polishing of the substrate under the same conditions except for subjecting the substrate to the temperature of about 100° C.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of polishing a substrate comprising a metal layer comprising copper. The method comprises the steps of (i) providing a chemical-mechanical polishing system comprising a liquid carrier, a polishing pad, an abrasive, and a negatively-charged polymer or copolymer, (ii) contacting the substrate with the poloshing system, and (iii) abrading at least a portion of the substrate to polish the metal layer of the substrate. The negatively-charged polymer or copolymer comprises one or more monomers selected from sulfonic acids, sulfonates, sulfates, phosphonic acids, phosphonates, and phosphates, has a molecular weight of about 20,000 g/mol or more, and coats at least a portion of the abrasive such that the abrasive has a zeta potential value that is lowered upon interaction of the negatively-charged polymer or copolymer with the abrasive.

Abstract: The invention provides chemical-mechanical polishing systems, and methods of polishing a substrate using the polishing systems, comprising (a) an abrasive, (b) a liquid carrier, and (c) a positively charged polyelectrolyte with a molecular weight of about 15,000 or more, wherein the abrasive comprises particles that are electrostatically associated with the positively charged polyelectrolyte.

Abstract: The invention provides a polishing system comprising (a) an abrasive, a polishing pad, a means for oxidizing a substrate, or any combination thereof, (b) a conducting polymer having an electrical conductivity of about 10−10 S/cm to about 106 S/cm, and (c) a liquid carrier.

Abstract: The invention provides a chemical-mechanical polishing system comprising an abrasive, a carrier, and either boric acid, or a conjugate base thereof, wherein the boric acid and conjugate base are not present together in the polishing system in a sufficient amount to act as a pH buffer, or a water-soluble boron-containing compound, or salt thereof, that is not boric acid, and a method of polishing a substrate using the chemical-mechanical polishing system.

Abstract: The invention provides a chemical-mechanical polishing systems, and methods of polishing a substrate using the polishing systems, comprising (a) an abrasive, (b) a liquid carrier, and (c) a positively charged polyelectrolyte with a molecular weight of about 15,000 or more, wherein the abrasive comprises particles that are electrostatically associated with the positively charged electrolyte.

Abstract: The invention provides a chemical-mechanical polishing system comprising an abrasive, a carrier, and either boric acid, or a conjugate base thereof, wherein the boric acid and conjugate base are not present together in the polishing system in a sufficient amount to act as a pH buffer, or a water-soluble boron-containing compound, or salt thereof, that is not boric acid, and a method of polishing a substrate using the chemical-mechanical polishing system.

Abstract: The invention provides a polishing pad comprising composite particles that comprise a solid core encapsulated by a polymeric shell material, wherein the solid core comprises a material that differs from the polymeric shell material, as well as a method of polishing a substrate with such a polishing pad.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of polishing a substrate comprising (i) contacting a substrate with a polishing system comprising (a) an abrasive, a polishing pad, a means for oxidizing a substrate, or any combination thereof, (b) a conducting polymer having an electrical conductivity of about 10−10 S/cm to about 106 S/cm, and (c) a liquid carrier, and (ii) abrading or removing at least a portion of the substrate to polish the substrate.

Abstract: The invention provides a polishing system comprising (a) an abrasive, a polishing pad, a means for oxidizing a substrate, or any combination thereof, (b) a conducting polymer having an electrical conductivity of about 10−10 S/cm to about 106 S/cm, and (c) a liquid carrier.