Patent ID: 6875089

Claim:
A chemical mechanical planarization system, comprising: a wafer input/output area including a wet transfer mechanism, for transferring a first wafer to a first polishing platen and to a second polishing platen using said wet transfer mechanism, said wet transfer mechanism including a pH adjusted solution, having a high pH, to keep said first wafer wet; a first polishing platen for polishing said first wafer, said first polishing platen including a first high pH slurry source and a first high pH solution rinse source; a second polishing platen for polishing said first wafer, said second polishing platen including a second high pH slurry source and a second high pH solution rinse source; a low pH rinsing station including a rinse solution having a lower pH than said pH adjusted solution; and wherein the pH at the surface of said first wafer is maintained substantially constant during processing on said first and second platens and during transfer therebetween.