Abstract: Disclosed is a CMP slurry in which a compound having a weight-average molecular weight of 30-500 and containing a hydroxyl group (OH), a carboxyl group (COOH), or both, is added to a CMP slurry comprising abrasive particles and water and having a first viscosity, so that the CMP slurry is controlled to have a second viscosity 5-30% lower than the first viscosity. Also disclosed is a method for polishing a semiconductor wafer using the CMP slurry. According to the disclosed invention, the agglomerated particle size of abrasive particles in the CMP slurry can be reduced, while the viscosity of the CMP slurry can be reduced and the global planarity of wafers upon polishing can be improved. Thus, the CMP slurry can be advantageously used in processes for manufacturing semiconductor devices requiring fine patterns and can improve the reliability and production of semiconductor devices through the use thereof in semiconductor processes.

Abstract: Method of preparing cerium carbonate powder by mixing a cerium precursor solution with a carbonate precursor solution and subjecting the mixture solution to a precipitation reaction, wherein the concentration of cerium in the cerium precursor solution ranges from 1M to 10M, the molar concentration ratio of the cerium precursor to the carbonate precursor ranges from 1:1 to 1:7, and the cerium precursor solution contains at least one additive selected from the group consisting of carbonate compounds, acrylic compounds, and sulfate ion-containing compounds. The cerium carbonate powder has an orthorhombic crystal structure, a particle size of 0.05 to 1 ?m, and an aspect ratio of 1 to 5. Moreover, disclosed are cerium oxide powder prepared from said cerium carbonate powder as a precursor, a preparation method thereof, and a CMP slurry containing said cerium oxide powder as an abrasive.

Abstract: A cerium oxide powder for one-component CMP slurry, which has a specific surface area of 5 m2/g or more, and a ratio of volume fraction of pores with a diameter of 3 nm or more to that of pores with a diameter less than 3 nm of 8:2˜2:8. A method for preparing the same, a one-component CMP slurry comprising the same as an abrasive material, and a method of shallow trench isolation using the one-component CMP slurry are also disclosed. The CMP slurry causes no precipitation of the cerium oxide powder even if it is provided as a one-component CMP slurry, because the CMP slurry uses, as an abrasive material, cerium oxide powder that is obtained via a low-temperature calcination step, optionally a pulverization step, and a high-temperature calcination step and has a high pore fraction and low strength.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for preparing cerium carbonate powder by mixing a cerium precursor solution with a carbonate precursor solution to cause precipitation, wherein at least one solvent used in the cerium precursor solution and the carbonate precursor solution is an organic solvent. Cerium carbonate powder obtained from the method, cerium oxide powder obtained from the cerium carbonate powder, a method for preparing the cerium oxide powder, and CMP slurry comprising the cerium oxide powder are also disclosed. The method for preparing cerium carbonate using an organic solvent, allows the resultant cerium carbonate powder to have a size and shape controllable from the initial nucleation step. Additionally, it is possible to easily control the size and shape of cerium oxide powder obtained from the cerium carbonate powder.