Abstract: A chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) apparatus includes a bath of an aqueous solution. A first holder, which is configured to support a wafer, is disposed within the bath. A first spindle is configured to rotate the first holder. A second holder, which is rotated by a second spindle, is disposed above the first holder. The second holder supports a planarization media, which is disposed within the bath. The planarization media is oriented to face the surface of the first holder on which the wafer is to be supported. The planarization media can be a pad containing polyurethane or a substrate having an overlying abrasive film. The CMP apparatus also can include a system for recirculating and reconditioning the aqueous solution. A method for performing a CMP process also is described.

Abstract: An invention is provided for a carrier head that includes a metal plate having an opening formed in a central location. The metal plate has a wafer side, which faces the backside of a wafer during a CMP operation, and a non-wafer side. Positioned above the non-wafer side of the metal plate, and located above the opening in the metal plate, is a bladder or membrane. To facilitate uniformity during polishing, an inflating pressure is applied to the bladder, or membrane, that is substantially equivalent to a polishing pressure utilized during the CMP operation. To facilitate transporting the wafer, a vacuum can be applied to the opening in the metal plate to adhere the wafer to the carrier head. Further, to release the wafer from the carrier head, the bladder, or membrane, can be inflated such that it protrudes through the opening in the metal plate.

Abstract: Minute and uniform line marks can be formed on the surface of a glass substrate for a magnetic disk by pressing a woven cloth tape comprising plastic fibers preferably by a rubber roller with hardness greater than 60 and causing it to run thereover while supplying a suspension containing abrading particles and a solution which contains hydroxyl groups such as a KOH solution.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention abrade the information bearing surface of a compact disc (CD), DVD or other digital information bearing disk, in order to render it unreadable by standard consumer grade disk readers. This is accomplished via embodiments of the invention that are extremely lightweight, highly portable and inexpensive. Embodiments may or may not employ an outer case in order to retain the remnants of the abraded information layer of the disk. In order to operate one embodiment of the invention, the apparatus is opened and a compact disc is inserted with the face of the disk against the abrasive mechanism. After closing the apparatus, the outer housing of the apparatus is rotated with sufficient pressure against the abrasive mechanism in order to cause the substrate to be damaged sufficiently to render it unreadable by consumer based disk readers. The apparatus can be opened over a trash bin in order to empty both the disk and the particulate matter generated by the abrasive process.

Abstract: An improved pad and process for polishing metal damascene structures on a semiconductor wafer. The process includes the steps of pressing the wafer against the surface of a polymer sheet in combination with an aqueous-based liquid that optionally contains sub-micron particles and providing a means for relative motion of wafer and polishing pad under pressure so that the moving pressurized contact results in planar removal of the surface of said wafer, wherein the polishing pad has a low elastic recovery when said load is removed, so that the mechanical response of the sheet is largely anelastic. The improved pad is characterized by a high energy dissipation coupled with a high pad stiffness and hydrolytic stability.

Abstract: In one illustrative embodiment, the method comprises providing a plurality of wafer lots, each of the lots comprising a plurality of wafers, performing at least one process operation on at least some of the wafers in each of the plurality of lots, identifying processed wafers having similar characteristics, re-allocating the wafers to lots based upon the identified characteristics, and performing additional processing operations on the identified wafers having similar characteristics in the re-allocated lots. In one illustrative embodiment, the system comprises a first processing tool for performing processing operations on each of a plurality of wafers in each of a plurality of wafer lots, a controller for identifying processed wafers having similar characteristics and re-allocating the wafers to lots based upon the identified characteristics, and a second processing tool adapted to perform additional processing operations on the identified wafers having similar characteristics in the re-allocated lot.

Abstract: A method of improving uniformity control in chemical mechanical polishing (CMP). A CMP apparatus is provided with at least a platen, a polishing pad disposed on the platen and at least a polishing carrier installed over the platen. The platen rotates in a first rotating direction, and the polishing carrier is used to press a wafer on the polishing pad and drive the wafer to rotate. First, in a first-CMP step, the polishing carrier rotates in a second rotating direction. Then, in a second-CMP step, the polishing carrier rotates in a third rotating direction different from the second rotating direction.

Abstract: The invention provides a polishing system that comprises a liquid carrier, an alkali metal ion, hydroxide ions, and a polishing pad and/or an abrasive. The abrasive can be dispersed in the liquid carrier of the polishing system or bound to the polishing pad. The alkali metal ion can be any univalent group I metal ion and is present in the polishing system at a concentration of about 0.05 M or more. Hydroxide ions are present in a sufficient amount to provide the system with a pH of about 9 or more. The liquid carrier of the polishing system can be any suitable polar solvent, such as water. The invention further provides a polishing method that involves polishing a portion of a substrate with the polishing system beginning about 6 hours or less after the polishing system is prepared.

Abstract: A double side grinding apparatus comprises a pair of grinding wheels (4), work rotating device (1) and moving device (2).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for planarizing a microelectronic substrate. In one embodiment, the apparatus can include an elongated, non-continuous polishing pad oriented at an angle relative to the horizontal to allow planarizing liquids and materials removed from the microelectronic substrate to flow off the polishing pad under the force of gravity. Two such polishing pads can be positioned opposite each other in a vertical orientation and can share either a common platen or a common substrate carrier. The polishing pads can be pre-attached to both a supply roll and a take-up roll to form a cartridge which can be easily removed from the apparatus and replaced with another cartridge.

Abstract: A method for lapping which eliminates lapping damage includes a high-speed lapping operation at a high torque which is continuously performed after performing intermittently a low-speed lapping operation under low torque on a workpiece. Therefore, the excessive load during a first lapping stage due to the projection on the surface of the workpiece is greatly decreased. A continuous lapping is performed after the projection becomes smooth to some extent, and thus the lapping damage is prevented.

Abstract: A dresser is used which makes it possible to simultaneously dress and condition the surface of a polishing pad deteriorated by polishing a semiconductor wafer in the CMP process. The dresser is a dresser comprised of a ceramic such as dressing SiC, SiN, alumina or silica. Use of this dresser enables to shorten the time of dressing/conditioning the deteriorated polishing pad.

Abstract: A disc repair system which is provided for the purpose of consumer-repairing of scratches on optically-read discs (e.g., digitally recorded discs, known commonly, as “CD” discs or “DVD” discs, etc., containing audio or video or other formats of data information), such that an optical reader, which uses a laser to read digital information stored on a compact disc, can read the digital information without the optical distortion caused by a scratch. The system utilizes diamond grit as an abrading compound to recondition the disc surface.

Abstract: A wafer polishing apparatus for polishing a semiconductor wafer. The polisher comprises a base, a turntable, a polishing pad and a head drive mechanism for driven rotation of a polishing head. The polishing head comprises a sealing ring adapted to hold at least one wafer for engaging a front surface of the wafer with a work surface of the polishing pad. The sealing ring allows for application of uniform air pressure over the rear surface of the wafer. The sealing ring is constructed so that the wafer itself defines a portion of a pressure cavity receiving pressurized air.

Abstract: A half toroidal CVT disk having an inner surface portion, an outer surface portion and a toroidal surface having a given machining allowance is centered with said inner surface portion worked prior to the heat treatment of said half toroidal CVT disk as the standard thereof, and then is chucked by a chuck mechanism. The toroidal surface of the chucked half toroidal CVT disk is ground by a grinding mechanism with the grinding wheel for grinding the half toroidal CVT disk in a state that one of said half toroidal CVT disk and said tool is inclined at a given angle with respect to the other.

Abstract: A method of grinding the rear side of a semiconductor wafer, the front side of which has bumps formed thereon, includes the steps of: preparing semiconductor wafers whose front surfaces have a plurality of circuits formed in their lattice patterns; coating the front side of a selected semiconductor wafer with a resist material to form a resist layer thereon; forming a plurality of holes in each section of the resist layer at which are to be formed bumps corresponding to the circuits by removing the resist; plating at the holes with a metal to form bumps; putting the semiconductor wafer on a selected chuck table with resist layer, which is formed on its front side, laid on the chuck table in a grinding machine; and grinding the rear side of the semiconductor wafer.

Abstract: To provide a method of and an apparatus for grinding a brake pad in which inclined faces at both ends of the brake pad can be ground along a single route and no grinding limit quantity is generated whether the boundary lines are parallel with each other or not. The apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a fixing portion 11 for fixing a brake pad 3; a rotary whetstone 21 having a rotation axis parallel to a friction face 3a of the brake pad 3, a grinding face of which distance to the rotation axis increases gradually or in plurality of steps in one direction of the rotation axis, and another grinding face of which distance to the rotation axis decreases gradually or in plurality of steps in the one direction of the rotation axis; and a transporter 10 for moving one of the brake pad and the rotary whetstone in relation to each other in a intersecting direction to the rotation axis.

Abstract: A double surface grinding method for a vertical type of double disc surface grinding machine in which upper and lower ground surfaces of a work like a disc brake are ground simultaneously. The entire vertical moving stroke of the grinding wheel includes an idle feed stroke in which the wheel moves at a specified idle feed speed from the waiting position to a detection start position before contacting with the ground surface; a detection stroke in which the wheel moves at a detection speed lower than the idle feed speed from the detection start position to a detection end position after contacting with the ground surface then the wheel detects a grinding start position; and a grinding stroke in which the wheel moves at a grinding speed from the grinding start position to a grinding end position.

Abstract: In a wafer surface protection method, a protective film is formed on a front surface of a wafer before the wafer performs a potentially wafer process. The protective film is a non-adhesive layer. An adhesive tape is adhered onto the protective film before conducting the polluting process. After the polluting process is completed, the adhesive tape is removed along with the protective film. As a result, no adhesive residues remain on the surface of the wafer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for reprofiling wheel disks (7) or brake disks of a railway wheel or wheelset (6), rotatably mounted in bearing housings (9), by machining using a machine tool (12), which is designed to be portable, a wheel disk (7) of the railway wheel or the wheelset (6) being pressed against backup rolls (16) on its circumference by a clamping element (14, 15), which engages on at least one bearing housing (9), at least one of the backup rolls setting the railway wheel or the wheelset (6) into rotation, while simultaneously a tool (20) machines one of the wheel (7) or brake disks. The invention also relates to a machine tool (12) for carrying out the method.

Abstract: Apparatus for rendering a compact disc unplayable comprises first and second pressing elements and at least one spoiling element interposed between the pressing elements. The pressing elements are adapted to be brought together to press the spoiling element against a disc placed therebetween thus causing damage to the information bearing surface of the disc. In a preferred embodiment, the or each spoiling element includes scraping means which may comprise a serrated blade or an abrasive material. Rotation of the disc relative to the scraping means when the disc is sandwiched between the pressing elements results in the disc's information bearing surface being scratched or otherwise damaged. A method of rendering unplayable a compact disc is also described.

Abstract: A polishing compound and a polishing method are provided, whereby in a CMP process in a process for production of a semiconductor device, a metal layer and/or a barrier layer, etc., can be polished while suppressing excessive oxidation of the metal layer, and the polishing rate can be adjusted depending upon the application. A polishing compound comprising polishing abrasive grains and a peptide, a polishing compound slurry having such a polishing compound suspended in an aqueous medium, preferably together with an oxidizing agent and preferably at a pH of at least 7, and a method for polishing a metal layer of e.g. Cu and/or a barrier layer, formed on a semiconductor substrate, by polishing with an abrasive cloth of a CMP apparatus having such a polishing compound slurry supported thereon, are disclosed.

Abstract: The problem of non-uniform polishing properties of a circumferential surface area of a substrate, so-called edge sagging phenomenon, is solved. When a thin film formed on a top surface of the substrate is polished while holding a back surface of the substrate, local stress at a circumferential end of the substrate is reduced by a guide installed so as to surround the substrate. Also, a deformation of the outer circumferential end portion of the substrate is reduced by a recessed groove provided on the guide. Since a thin film formed on the surface can be polished to be flat throughout the surface of the substrate without an occurrence of non-uniform polishing properties of the outer circumferential surface area of the substrate, so-called edge sagging phenomenon, a high-performance semiconductor device can be manufactured at a high yield and low costs.

Abstract: A grinding method, in which the grinding operation is performed on a plurality of workpieces having different thicknesses with an end surface in the thickness direction of each workpiece being a surface to be ground, includes the steps of holding the workpieces with a holder such that the surfaces to be ground of the individual workpieces are aligned in the same plane, and grinding the surfaces to be ground of the workpieces while the workpieces are held by the holder. An electronic component provided with an element ground by the grinding method, and a variable capacitor provided with an element ground by the grinding method are also disclosed.

Abstract: A polishing slurry prepared by dispersing in a dispersion medium, abrasive grains comprised of a material having a solubility in the dispersion medium at 25° C., of 0.001 g/100 g or higher is used to effectively remove any abrasive grains standing adherent to the surfaces of objects to be polished or the interiors of polishing apparatus after polishing.

Abstract: A polishing slurry prepared by dispersing in a dispersion medium, abrasive grains comprised of a material having a solubility in the dispersion medium at 25° C., of 0.001 g/100 g or higher is used to effectively remove any abrasive grains standing adherent to the surfaces of objects to be polished or the interiors of polishing apparatus after polishing.

Abstract: A CMP system and methods make repeatable measurements of eccentric forces applied to carriers for wafer or polishing pad conditioning pucks. Force applied to the carrier may be accurately measured even though such force is eccentrically applied to such carrier. The CMP system and method provide the repeatable measurement features while supplying fluids within the carrier to the wafer and to a wafer support without interfering with the polishing operations. Similarly, the CMP system and methods remove fluids from the wafer or puck carrier without interfering with the CMP operations. An initial coaxial relationship between an axis of rotation and a carrier axis is maintained during application of the eccentric force, such that a sensor is enabled to make repeatable measurements, as defined above, of the eccentric forces, and the carrier may be a wafer or a puck carrier.

Abstract: A disc repair system embodied by a consumer kit, which is provided for the purpose of consumer-repairing of scratches on optically-read discs (e.g., digitally recorded discs, known commonly, as “CD” discs or “DVD” discs, containing audio or video or other formats of data information), such that an optical reader, which uses a laser to read digital information stored on a compact disc, can read the digital information without the optical distortion caused by a scratch. The consumer kit (in a special box package) contains a hand-held rotator which is preferably used in combination with abrading compounds, abrasive discs, and wiping cloths to recondition the disc surface.

Abstract: A method of grinding a glass or other workpiece is described comprising the steps of: contacting a grinding layer of a flexible abrasive article with the surface of a glass workpiece, the grinding layer comprising abrasive grit dispersed in a bonding matrix, the matrix attached to a flexible backing; and moving the grinding layer of the flexible abrasive article and the surface of the glass workpiece relative to one another at a velocity of at least about 16.5 meters per second to provide a final surface roughness Ra less than about 0.030 micrometer.

Abstract: A web-format polishing pad for mechanical and/or chemical-mechanical planarization of microelectronic substrate assemblies, and methods for making and using such a web-format pad. In one aspect of the invention, a web-format polishing pad for planarizing a microelectronic substrate is made by slicing a cylindrical body of pad material along a cutting line that is at least substantially parallel to a longitudinal centerline of the body and at a radial depth inward from an exterior surface of the body. For example, a web of pad material can be sliced from the body by rotating the cylindrical body about the longitudinal centerline and pressing a cutting element against the rotating cylindrical body along the cutting line. The cutting element can be a knife with a sharp edge positioned at the cutting line and a face extending along a tangent of the cylindrical body.

Abstract: A method for improving thickness uniformity on a semiconductor wafer during a chemical mechanical polishing process capable of eliminating a wafer edge collapsing defect is described. In the method, slurry solution is removed from a peripheral edge portion of less than 10 mm wide on the surface of the polishing pad such that a concentration of the slurry can be effectively reduced in the peripheral region. The reduced slurry solution leads to a reduction in the removal rate on the wafer surface. The removal of slurry from the peripheral region can further be achieved by a mechanical means. A suitable width of the peripheral region of the polishing pad to be sprayed by an edge sprayer is less than 10 mm, and preferably between about 3 mm and about 5 mm. A suitable solvent to be sprayed is deionized water.

Abstract: An inner surface 16a of a torque transmitting disc of a toroidal type continuously variable transmission can be finish-worked without also enhancing accuracy of a cylindrical surface as an outer peripheral surface of the disc. The inner surface is finish-worked with super finish while urging a working surface of a grindstone against the inner surface. In this case, roller shoes are rollingly contacted with the inner surface to prevent the disc from being radially displaced under force from the working surface.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method of polishing semiconductor wafer by using a double-sided polisher which prevents a polish-sagging in an outer periphery of the wafer and thereby improves a degree of flatness of the semiconductor wafer. During polishing of the semiconductor wafer by using a double-sided polisher, a larger difference as compared to the prior art is created between a frictional resistance acting on a front surface of a silicon wafer W from an upper surface plate 12 side and a frictional resistance acting on a back surface of the silicon wafer W from a lower surface plate 13 side. This is because the present invention has employed a hard expanded urethane foam pad 14 and a soft non-woven fabric pad 15, which have different friction coefficients to the silicon wafer W from each other. Thereby, respective wafers W can be rotated at such a high speed as 0.1-1.0 rpm within corresponding wafer holding holes 11a.

Abstract: Polishing pads, planarizing machines and methods for mechanical and/or chemical-mechanical planarization of semiconductor wafers, field emission displays or other microelectronic substrate assemblies. One planarizing machine of the invention is a web-format machine having a planarizing table to support a portion of the polishing pad in a planarizing zone, at least one roller to hold another portion of the polishing pad, and a carrier assembly for handling a microelectronic substrate assembly. A web-format polishing pad used with this machine can include a body having a planarizing medium, an elongated first side edge, and an elongated second side edge opposite the first side edge. The body has a length sufficient to extend across the planarizing zone and wrap around the roller.

Abstract: An asymmetric double-sided substrate scrubber is provided. The asymmetric double-sided substrate scrubber includes a first roller and a second roller. The first roller is constructed from a first material having a first density and the second roller is constructed from a second material having a second density. The second density is designed to be greater than the first density. The first roller is designed to be applied onto a first side of a substrate with a first force and the second roller is designed to be applied onto a second side of the substrate with a second force. The second force is configured to be substantially equivalent to the first force.

Abstract: A method for lapping which eliminates lapping damage includes a high-speed lapping operation at a high torque which is continuously performed after performing intermittently a low-speed lapping operation under low torque on a workpiece. Therefore, the excessive load during a first lapping stage due to the projection on the surface of the workpiece is greatly decreased. A continuous lapping is performed after the projection becomes smooth to some extent, and thus the lapping damage is prevented.

Abstract: A method of polishing substrates enables the size of a polishing table to be reduced. A surface of a substrate to be polished is brought into contact with a polishing surface of a polishing table in such a manner that a portion of the surface of the substrate extends outwardly from an outer periphery of the polishing surface. The substrate is rotated about its center axis while keeping its surface in contact with the polishing surface of the polishing table. The attitude of the substrate carrier is controlled so that the surface of the substrate is kept parallel with the polishing surface of the polishing table during a polishing operation.

Abstract: An exposure method according to the present invention includes a first step of forming on a substrate an alignment mark including a concave and convex pattern; a second step of forming a coat over said alignment mark and the other area on said substrate; a third step of flattening said coat; and a fourth step of applying a photosensitive material on said coat flattened by said third step and projecting a mask pattern thereto. The alignment mark is formed by said concave and convex pattern arranged with a pitch which is smaller than the predetermined value between adjacent convex portions having a width of not less than a predetermined value.

Abstract: An abrasive for planarization of glass substrates for hard discs comprising abrasive grains mainly composed of rare earth oxides containing cerium oxide, wherein the abrasive grains has a cerium oxide/total rare earth oxide ratio of 95 wt %.

Abstract: A polishing pad (for example, polishing pad 305) for use in polarization of a semiconductor wafer (for example, semiconductor wafer 420), the polishing pad 305 featuring a plurality of different polishing surfaces, depending upon the direction of the movement of the polishing pad 305. The polishing pad 305 may take the form of a polishing disc or a polishing belt. The polarization of the semiconductor wafer 420 can then take place at a fewer number of polishing stations, thereby reducing the amount of time needed and reducing the probability of damage to the semiconductor wafer 420.

Abstract: A polishing method and apparatus can concurrently establish a stable removal rate, a small step height reduction rate, and reduction of detects on the polished surface for various kinds of polished subjects, while providing less environmental problems and requiring less processing costs. The method for polishing a surface of a semiconductor device wafer comprises first polishing a surface of the semiconductor wafer by a first fixed abrasive polishing method; and finish polishing the polished surface of the semiconductor wafer by a second fixed abrasive polishing method different from the first fixed abrasive polishing method.

Abstract: In a recording medium manufacturing method for obtaining a recording medium by effecting a surface smoothing treatment on a surface smoothing treatment surface of a surface of a medium, the surface smoothing treatment surface of the medium is locally pressed by a polishing work tape having a pressure area less than 1 mm, more preferably, less than 0.5 mm with respect to both radial direction and tangential direction relative to rotation of the medium. In a polishing work of recording medium manufacturing process, a problem of occurrence of defects such as scratches on the surface layer can be improved, whereby yield can be increased and mass-productivity can be improved.

Abstract: A method for controlling wafer uniformity in a polishing tool includes providing a plurality of carrier heads, determining a signature for each of the carrier heads, and installing carrier heads with similar signatures in a polishing tool. A processing line includes a polishing tool and a processing tool. The polishing tool is adapted to polish wafers. The polishing tool includes a plurality of carrier heads, each carrier head having a polishing signature similar to the other carrier heads. The processing tool is adapted to process the polished wafers in accordance with a recipe. At least one parameter in the recipe is based on the polishing signatures of the carrier heads.

Abstract: The present invention provides a dry chemical-mechanical polishing method to perform etching in efficient manner. The dry chemical-mechanical polishing method comprises the steps of bringing surface of a polishing specimen retained on a specimen stand 114 into contact with a polishing tool while supplying plasma 106 from a plasma source, moving relative positions of the polishing specimen and the polishing tool and then polishing, and planarizing the surface of the polishing specimen, whereby diameter of the polishing specimen is increased to larger than diameter of the polishing tool, for instance, so that at least a part of the surface of the polishing specimen is exposed to an atmosphere of the plasma during polishing operation.

Abstract: An inner surface 16a of a torque transmitting disc of a toroidal type continuously variable transmission can be finish-worked without also enhancing accuracy of a cylindrical surface as an outer peripheral surface of the disc. The inner surface is finish-worked with super finish while urging a working surface of a grindstone against the inner surface. In this case, roller shoes are rollingly contacted with the inner surface to prevent the disc from being radially displaced under force from the working surface.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a customized polishing pad for use in a wafer polishing machine. The polishing pad of the present invention includes a polishing surface integral with the polishing pad. The polishing surface is adapted to frictionally contact a wafer in the polishing machine, thereby polishing the wafer. The polishing surface of the polishing pad includes at least two areas, where each area is adapted to frictionally contact the wafer and achieve a polishing effect specific for that area. A customized polishing effect is achieved by the polishing pad of the present invention when the wafer is selectively moved frictionally against the at least two areas by the wafer polishing machine.

Abstract: An apparatus for grinding a glass base material having a core and a clad comprising: a grinding wheel for grinding the clad; a measuring unit for measuring an eccentricity between a center position of the glass base material and a center position of the core at a plurality of positions along a longitudinal direction of the glass base material; a design unit for calculating target diameters substantially continuous throughout the longitudinal direction of the glass base material so that the eccentricity becomes substantially zero for each of the plurality of positions; and a control unit for controlling the grinding wheel to grind the clad so that a diameter of the glass base material to be the target diameter substantially continuous throughout the longitudinal direction of the glass base material based on the target diameters calculated by the design unit.

Abstract: The invention discloses a method for the chemical-mechanical polishing of layers composed of metals of the group of platinum metals, particularly iridium. In the CMP process, high erosion rates for iridium and a high selectivity relative to silicon oxide are achieved upon employment of a polishing fluid that contains 1 through 6% by weight abrasive particles, 2 through 20% by weight of at least one oxidation agent selected from the group comprising Ce(IV) salts, salts of chloric acid, salts of peroxodisulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide as well as the salts thereof, and 97 through 74% by weight water. This enables the structuring of iridium layers with the assistance of an oxide mask and a CMP process.

Abstract: A plurality of disks include a first disk and a second disk stacked upon the first disk. The first disk and the second disk are each formed from glass or glass-ceramic. A powder is disposed between the first disk and the second disk. The powder is selected from the group including calcium carbonate, calcium magnesium carbonate, calcium phosphate, magnesium carbonate, magnesium borate, magnesium oxide, magnesium phosphate, and clay.

Abstract: A polishing method comprising mechanically polishing the surface of a metal film by the use of a polishing solution comprising an oxidizer, a substance which renders an oxide water-soluble, a thickener and water, is suitable for polishing the metal film at a high removal rate with suppressed scratching, delamination, dishing and erosion, and can be applied to production of semiconductors, etc.