Abstract: An improved and new process for separating a substrate from a wetted polishing pad in a CMP apparatus has been developed. Following CMP the polishing pad is wetted with a low surface tension liquid and the substrate is moved across the surface of the polishing pad to cause the interface between the substrate and the polishing pad to be wetted with the low surface tension liquid. The force required to cause separation of the substrate from the polishing pad wetted with said low surface tension liquid is reduced by a factor of about 10 to 30% and the breakage of fragile semiconductor wafer substrates during the unloading operation is markedly reduced. Suitable low surface tension liquids are water at a temperature between about 50° C. and 80° C., or solutions of water with long chain surfactants, such as poly-acrylate, poly-vinyl alcohol, butanol, pantanol or isopropol alcohol.