Abstract: Within a series of chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarizing methods for forming a series of damascene structures within a series of microelectronic fabrications, there is employed at least one lateral offset width between: (1) a sidewall of a patterned dielectric layer and an edge of a substrate; (2) a sidewall of a patterned conductor layer and a sidewall of a patterned dielectric layer; and (3) a sidewall of a patterned second dielectric layer and a sidewall of a first dielectric layer. By employing the at least one lateral offset, there is provided the series of damascene structures with inhibited physical degradation of a patterned dielectric layer when forming within an aperture defined by the patterned dielectric layer a chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarized patterned conductor layer.