AQUEOUS POLISHING COMPOSITION AND PROCESS FOR CHEMICALLY MECHANICALLY POLISHING SUBSTRATES FOR ELECTRICAL, MECHANICAL AND OPTICAL DEVICES

An aqueous polishing composition having a pH of 3 to 11 and comprising (A) abrasive particles which are positively charged when dispersed in an aqueous medium free from component (B) and of a pH of 3 to 9 as evidenced by the electrophoretic mobility; (B) anionic phosphate dispersing agents; and (C) a polyhydric alcohol component selected from the group consisting of (c1) water-soluble and water-dispersible, aliphatic and cycloaliphatic, monomeric, dimeric and oligomeric polyols having at least 4 hydroxy groups; (c2) a mixture consisting of (c21) water-soluble and water-dispersible, aliphatic and cycloaliphatic polyols having at least 2 hydroxy groups; and (c22) water-soluble or water-dispersible polymers selected from linear and branched alkylene oxide homopolymers and copolymers (c221 ); and linear and branched, aliphatic and cycloaliphatic poly(N-vinylamide) homopolymers and copolymers (c222); and (c3) mixtures of (c1) and (c2); and a process for polishing substrates for electrical, mechanical and optical devices.