Aqueous polishing composition and process for chemically mechanically polishing substrates for electrical, mechanical and optical devices

An aqueous polishing composition having a pH of from 3 to 11, the aqueous polishing composition comprising:

• abrasive particles;
• an anionic phosphate dispersing agent;
• and
• at least one polyhydric alcohol component selected from the group consisting of a polyhydric alcohol and a mixture,
• wherein
• the abrasive particles are positively charged when dispersed in an aqueous medium which is free from the anionic phosphate dispersing agent and has a pH of from 3 to 9 as evidenced by an electrophoretic mobility
• the polyhydric alcohol is at least one selected from the group consisting of a water-soluble polyol, a water-dispersible polyol, an aliphatic polyol, a cycloaliphatic polyol, a monomeric polyol, a dimeric polyol, and an oligomeric polyol, each comprising at least 4 hydroxy groups that are not dissociable in the aqueous medium, and has an amount of from 0.005 to 5% by weight, based on a complete weight of the composition;
• and
• the mixture comprises:
• at least one polyhydric alcohol selected from the group consisting of a water-soluble polyol, a water-dispersible polyol, an aliphatic polyol, and a cycloaliphatic polyol, each comprising at least 2 hydroxy groups that are not dissociable in the aqueous medium;
• and
• at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible polymer selected from the group consisting of an alkylene oxide polymer and a poly(N-vinylamide) polymer,
• wherein
• the alkylene oxide polymer is at least one selected from the group consisting of a linear alkylene oxide homopolymer, a linear alkylene oxide copolymer, a branched alkylene oxide homopolymer, and a branched alkylene oxide copolymer, and
• the poly(N-vinylamide) is at least one selected from the group consisting of a linear aliphatic poly(N-vinylamide) homopolymer, a branched aliphatic poly(N-vinylamide) homopolymer, a linear cycloaliphatic poly(N-vinylamide) homopolymer, a branched cycloaliphatic poly(N-vinylamide) homopolymers, a linear aliphatic poly(N-vinylamide) copolymer, a branched aliphatic poly(N-vinylamide) copolymer, a linear cycloaliphatic poly(N-vinylamide) copolymer, and a branched cycloaliphatic poly(N-vinylamide) copolymer.