Method for producing improved cerium oxide abrasive particles and compositions including such particles

A method of preparing a CMP slurry including cerium oxide particles comprising:

• heating a mixture of a cerium precursor compound and a secondary metal compound to a heat treatment temperature of between about 700° C. and about 900° C. under an oxidizing ambient;
• maintaining the mixture at the heat treatment temperature for a treatment period sufficient to obtain a heat treated product in which substantially all of the cerium precursor compound has been converted to cerium oxide (CeOx), wherein the expression 0<x≦2 is satisfied and wherein the cerium oxide incorporates substantially all of the secondary metal compound as a secondary metal oxide;
• separating the cerium oxide according to particle size;
• forming an aqueous dispersion of cerium oxide particles within a predetermined particle size range;
• and
• combining the aqueous dispersion of cerium oxide particles with an aqueous additive solution in a predetermined proportion.

A method of planarizing a substrate comprising:

• placing the substrate on a carrier;
• urging a primary surface of the substrate against a pad surface while generating relative motion between the substrate and the pad;
• and
• applying a slurry composition to the pad so that a portion of the slurry composition is between the primary surface and the pad surface, the slurry composition cooperating with the pad surface to remove an upper portion of the substrate;
• wherein the slurry composition includes cerium oxide particles, the cerium oxide particles comprising a plurality of primary cerium oxide (CeOx) particles, the expression 0<x≦2 being satisfied, and further wherein the cerium oxide particles incorporate a secondary metal oxide at grain boundaries formed between adjacent primary cerium oxide particles.