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, 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, nitrites, nitros, thiols, thioesters, thioethers, carbothiolic acids, carbothionic acids, thiocarboxylic acids, thiosalicylic acids, and mixtures thereof, and (iv) a polishing pad and/or an abrasive. The invention also provides a method of polishing a substrate comprising contacting a surface of a substrate with the system and polishing at least a portion of the substrate therewith.

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, wherein the stopping compound is a cationically charged nitrogen containing compound selected from compounds comprising amines, imines, amides, imides, and mixtures thereof, and (v) a polishing pad and/or an abrasive. The invention also provides a method of polishing a substrate comprising contacting a surface of a substrate with the system and polishing at least a portion of the substrate therewith.

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 a substrate comprising a metal layer using a chemical-mechanical polishing system comprising an abrasive and/or polishing pad, a rare earth salt, an oxidizer that is a stronger oxidant than the rare earth salt, and a liquid carrier.

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 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 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 method for polishing a substrate comprising a metal layer using a chemical-mechanical polishing system comprising an abrasive and/or polishing pad, a rare earth salt, an oxidizer that is a stronger oxidant than the rare earth salt, and a liquid carrier.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of polishing a substrate comprising a noble metal comprising (i) contacting the substrate with a CMP system and (ii) abrading at least a portion of the substrate to polish the substrate. The CMP systems each comprise an abrasive and/or polishing pad, a liquid carrier, and optionally one or more polishing additives. In a first embodiment, the polishing additives are selected from the group consisting of diketones, diketonates, heterocyclic nitrogen-containing compounds, heterocyclic oxygen-containing compounds, heterocyclic phosphorus-containing compounds, urea compounds, nitrogen-containing compounds that can be zwitterionic compounds, salts thereof, and combinations thereof. In a second embodiment, the polishing additive is a metal compound with two or more oxidation states and is used in conjunction with a peroxy-type oxidizer.

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.