A method for substantially simultaneously polishing a copper conductive
structure of a semiconductor device structure and an adjacent barrier
layer. The method includes use of a polishing pad with a slurry solution
in which copper and a material, such as tungsten, of the barrier layer
are removed at substantially the same rate. The slurry is formulated so
as to oxidize copper and a material of the barrier layer at substantially
the same rates. Thus, copper and the barrier layer material have
substantially the same oxidation energies in the slurry. Systems for
substantially polishing copper conductive structures and adjacent barrier
structures on semiconductor device structures are also disclosed.