Chem-mechanical polishing (CMP) is a technique that combines both chemical and mechanical polishing principles to
achieve uniform removal rates of a highly composite specimen (such as integrated circuit device fabrication). CMP is
typically done using a hard polyurethane polishing pad combined with a slurry of finely dispersed alumina or silica
particles in an alkaline solution. CMP combines the selectivity of chemical polishing with the mechanical removal
properties of standard mechanical polishing techniques. The two combined give excellent selectivity and planarity and
can be tailored to many different materials.