A comprehensive model for the material removal in a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process is presented in which both chemical and mechanical effects are taken into consideration. The chemical effects come into play through the formation of chemically modified surface layer on the wafer surface that, in turn, is removed mechanically by the plastic deformation induced by slurry particles. This model describes the influence of most, if not all, variables involved in the CMP process including slurry characteristics (solid loading, particle size and distribution, modulus), pad properties (modulus, hardness, asperity sizes and distribution) and processing conditions (down-pressure, velocity). Although more elaborate experimental verification of the model is yet to follow, this model appears to be capable of explaining many experimental observations on both oxide and metal CMP that, otherwise, could not be explained properly. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.