Method for controlling pH during planarization and cleaning of microelectronic substrates

A method for planarizing a microelectronic substrate with a planarizing machine having a planarizing surface, the method comprising:

• positioning the microelectronic substrate adjacent to the planarizing surface to engage the microelectronic substrate with the planarizing surface and moving one of the planarizing surface and the microelectronic substrate relative to the other of the planarizing surface and the microelectronic substrate to remove material from the microelectronic substrate;
• supplying a first fluid to the planarizing surface;
• and
• maintaining a pH of the microelectronic substrate at an approximately constant level while reducing a relative velocity between the microelectronic substrate and the planarizing surface by supplying to the planarizing surface a second fluid having a chemical composition different than a chemical composition of the first fluid and a pH approximately the same as a pH of the first fluid.

A method for planarizing a microelectronic substrate with a planarizing machine having a planarizing surface, the method comprising:

• positioning the microelectronic substrate adjacent to the planarizing surface to engage the microelectronic substrate with the planarizing surface and moving one of the planarizing surface and the microelectronic substrate relative to the other of the planarizing surface and the microelectronic substrate to remove material from the microelectronic substrate;
• supplying a first fluid to the planarizing surface;
• and
• reducing an attraction between the material removed from the microelectronic substrate and a surface of the microelectronic substrate by supplying a second fluid to the planarizing surface while reducing a relative velocity between the microelectronic substrate and the planarizing surface to approximately zero, the second fluid having a chemical composition different than a chemical composition of the first fluid and having a pH approximately the same as a pH of the first fluid.