Polishing method and polishing apparatus

A polishing method for polishing a film applied to an object having an insulating film formed over a substrate, interconnection grooves formed in the insulating film, said film located inside said grooves and above said insulating film, said method comprising:

• supplying a processing solution over the surface to be polished at least substantially parallel to that surface and removing by polishing projecting portions of film formed outside of the interconnection grooves by a shear stress due to the application of the processing solution
• wherein said processing solution contains at least a chelating agent;
• chelating the surface part of the film by the chelating agent to form a chelate film;
• removing projecting portions of the chelate film by the shear stress of the application of the processing solution;
• and
• repeatedly forming a chelate film on the surf ace parts of the film exposed at the projecting portions and removing by polishing the projecting portions of the chelate film to flatten the film.

A polishing method for an object having a film on a surface to be polished, comprising:

• supplying an electrolytic solution at least between said surface to be polished and a cathode member arranged facing said surface and substantially parallel to said surface while supplying voltage with the cathode member as a cathode and said film as an anode to remove by projecting portions of said film by the shear stress of the applied electrolytic solution to flatten the surface, said method further comprising:
• using an electrolytic solution containing at least a chelating agent as the electrolytic solution;
• supplying a voltage with said cathode member as a cathode and said film as an anode to oxidize the surface of the film by anodic oxidation;
• chelating the surface part of the oxidized film by the chelating agent to form a chelate film;
• removing projecting portions of the chelate film by the shear stress of the application of the electrolytic solution;
• and
• repeatedly forming a chelate film on the surface parts of the film exposed at the projecting portions and removing by polishing the projecting portions of the chelate film to flatten an interconnection layer.