Patent ID: 6852632

Claim:
A method of polishing one or more layers of a multi-layer substrate that includes a first noble metal layer and a second layer comprising: (i) contacting the substrate with a chemical-mechanical polishing system comprising: (a) a liquid carrier, (b) at least one oxidizing agent, (c) at least one polishing additive that increases the rate at which the system polishes the noble metal layer of the substrate, wherein the polishing additive is selected from the group consisting of carboxylates and acids thereof, hydroxylates and acids thereof, carbonylates and acids thereof, pyrophosphates, condensed phosphates, phosphonic acids and salts thereof, amines, amino alcohols, amides, imines, imino acids and salts thereof, nitriles, nitros thiols, thioesters, thioethers, carbothiolic acids and salts thereof, carbothionic acids and salts thereof, thiocarboxylic acids and salts thereof, sulfonic acids and salts thereof, thiosalicylic acids and salts thereof, and mixtures thereof, and (d) a polishing pad and/or an abrasive, and (ii) abrading at least a portion of the substrate to polish the substrate.