An object of the present invention is to provide a polishing composition that can achieve both a high polishing removal rate and high surface quality. According to the present invention, provided is a polishing composition for polishing a material to be polished. The polishing composition contains sodium metavanadate, hydrogen peroxide, and silica abrasive. The content C1 of sodium metavanadate is 0.7% to 3.5% by weight, the content C2 of hydrogen peroxide is 0.3% to 3% by weight, and the content C3 of the silica abrasive is 12% to 50% by weight.

Provided is a local polishing technique suitable for corrective polishing. Press polishing is performed while supplying a polishing solution between a work and a work-polishing rotating tool locally pressed against the work, the polishing solution having abrasive grains composed of organic particles with an average particle size of 5 μm or more dispersed in a liquid. The rotating tool is made of an elastic material.

A method of CMP includes providing a slurry solution including ≥1 per-compound oxidizer in a concentration between 0.01 M and 2 M with a pH from 2 to 5 or 8 to 11, and ≥1 buffering agent which provides a buffering ratio ≥1.5 that compares an amount of a strong acid needed to reduce the pH from 9.0 to 3.0 as compared to an amount of strong acid to change the pH from 9.0 to 3.0 without the buffering agent. The slurry solution is exclusive any hard slurry particles or has only soft slurry particles that have throughout a Vickers hardness <300 Kg/mm.sup.2 or Mohs Hardness <4. The slurry solution is dispensed on a hard surface having a Vickers hardness >1,000 kg/mm.sup.2 is pressed by a polishing pad with the slurry solution in between while rotating the polishing pad relative to the hard surface.

A method of CMP includes providing a slurry solution including ≥1 per-compound oxidizer in a concentration between 0.01 M and 2 M with a pH from 2 to 5 or 8 to 11, and ≥1 buffering agent which provides a buffering ratio ≥1.5 that compares an amount of a strong acid needed to reduce the pH from 9.0 to 3.0 as compared to an amount of strong acid to change the pH from 9.0 to 3.0 without the buffering agent. The slurry solution is exclusive any hard slurry particles or has only soft slurry particles that have throughout a Vickers hardness <300 Kg/mm.sup.2 or Mohs Hardness <4. The slurry solution is dispensed on a hard surface having a Vickers hardness >1,000 kg/mm.sup.2 is pressed by a polishing pad with the slurry solution in between while rotating the polishing pad relative to the hard surface.

Provided is a polishing composition that includes a cellulose derivative and is effective for reducing surface defects after polishing. According to the present application, a polishing composition comprising an abrasive, a basic compound and a surface protective agent is provided. The surface protective agent contains a cellulose derivative and a vinyl alcohol-based dispersant. The surface protective agent has a dispersibility parameter α of less than 100.

Provided is a polishing composition that includes a cellulose derivative and is effective for reducing surface defects after polishing. According to the present application, a polishing composition comprising an abrasive, a basic compound and a surface protective agent is provided. The surface protective agent contains a cellulose derivative and a vinyl alcohol-based dispersant. The surface protective agent has a dispersibility parameter α of less than 100.

The present invention provides a polishing composition which can polish an object to be polished at a high polishing speed and with fewer scratches (defects). The present invention is a polishing composition containing silica of which a maximum peak height in a weight change rate distribution curve obtained by thermogravimetric measurement in a range of 25° C. or higher and 250° C. or lower is −0.011 or more and less than 0, a pH at 25° C. of the polishing composition being less than 6.0.

The present invention provides a polishing composition which can polish an object to be polished at a high polishing speed and with fewer scratches (defects). The present invention is a polishing composition containing silica of which a maximum peak height in a weight change rate distribution curve obtained by thermogravimetric measurement in a range of 25° C. or higher and 250° C. or lower is −0.011 or more and less than 0, a pH at 25° C. of the polishing composition being less than 6.0.

A polishing means is provided that can improve the flatness of a substrate without significantly reducing the polishing speed. More specifically, a polishing composition is provided which includes inorganic particles, water, and a modified polyalkylene oxide represented by formula (1):

##STR00001## wherein each R.sup.1 is independently a group represented by R.sup.11—(O—R.sup.12).sub.x—, where each R.sup.11 is independently a C.sub.1-24 alkyl group, each R.sup.12 is independently a C.sub.2-4 alkylene group, and x is an integer of 0 to 500; each R.sup.2 is independently a hydrocarbon group; each R.sup.3 is independently a C.sub.2-4 alkylene group; n is an integer of 1 to 1000, and m is an integer of 1 or more.

A substrate polishing method includes a stock polishing step comprising a plurality of stock polishing sub-steps in which a first polishing solution, a second polishing solution, and a third polishing solution are applied, in that order, to a substrate. A content COM.sub.P1 of water-soluble polymer P.sub.1 in the first polishing solution, a content COM.sub.P2 of water-soluble polymer P.sub.2 in the second polishing solution, and a content COM.sub.P3 of water-soluble polymer P.sub.3 in the third polishing solution satisfy COM.sub.P1<COM.sub.P2<COM.sub.P3, and any one of the following conditions is satisfied: (1) average primary particle diameter D.sub.A3 of abrasive A.sub.3 in the third polishing solution is smaller than average primary particle diameter D.sub.A1 of abrasive A.sub.1 in the first polishing solution and average primary particle diameter D.sub.A2 of abrasive A.sub.2 in the second polishing solution; and (2) the third polishing solution does not contain abrasive A.sub.3.