High selectivity CMP slurry

A chemical mechanical polishing slurry for use in removing a first substance from a surface of an article in preference to silicon nitride by chemical mechanical polishing, the slurry comprising:

• from about 0.5% to about 10% by weight of an abrasive comprising particles of one or more selected from the group consisting of alumina, ceria, copper oxide, iron oxide, nickel oxide, manganese oxide, silica, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, tin oxide, titania, titanium carbide, tungsten oxide, yttrium oxide, and zirconia, the particles having an average mean diameter of from about 0.1 μm to about 0.5 μm;
• an aqueous medium;
• from about 0.1% to about 10% by weight of an organic polyol that does not dissociate protons, said organic polyol comprising a compound having at least three hydroxyl groups that are not dissociable in the aqueous medium selected from the group consisting of mannitol, sorbitol, mannose, xylitol, sorbose, sucrose, and dextrin;
• and
• an acid or a base for adjusting the pH of the slurry within the range of from about 4 to about 10;
• and
• wherein the first substance comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of silicon dioxide, silicon-containing spin-on-glass, silicon-containing ceramics, silicon-containing low-k materials, low-k dielectric resins, copper, tungsten, aluminum, tantalum, tantalum nitride, titanium, titanium nitride, and combinations of two or more of the foregoing.