Patent ID: 6974777

Claim:
A method of polishing a substrate comprising: (i) contacting a substrate comprising (A) a metal layer selected from the group consisting of copper, tantalum, titanium, tungsten, nickel, platinum, ruthenium, iridium, and rhodium, and (B) a dielectric layer with a chemical-mechanical polishing system comprising: (a) (1) an abrasive selected from the group consisting of alumina, silica, co-formed products thereof, coated metal oxide particles, polymer particles, and combinations thereof, (2) a polishing pad, or (3) a combination of items (1) and (2), (b) an amphiphilic nonionic surfactant, (c) an oxidizing agent, and (d) a liquid carrier, and (ii) abrading at least a portion of the substrate to polish the substrate, wherein the dielectric layer has a dielectric constant of about 3.5 or lower, and wherein the amphiphilic nonionic surfactant is (A) a 2,4,7,9-tetramethyl-5-decvne-4,7-diol ethoxylate, (B) selected from the group consisting of polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers and polyoxyethylene alkyl acid esters, wherein the alkyl is a C 6-30 alkyl, which can be saturated or partially unsaturated, and is optionally branched, (C) a polyoxyethylenesorbitan alkyl acid ester, wherein the alkyl is a C 6-30 alkyl, can be saturated or partially unsaturated, and can be optionally branched, (D) a block copolymer comprising polyoxyethylene and polyoxypropylene, or polyoxyethylene and polyethylene, or (E) selected from the group consisting of polyoxyethylene alkyl amines, polyoxyethylene alkyl alkanolamides, and combinations thereof.