Defect-control is a critical requirement for chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) of the ultrathin diffusion barriers considered for the new Cu-interconnects. The challenging task of developing advanced CMP slurries for such systems can be aided by electrochemical evaluations of model CMP schemes under tribological conditions. The present work uses this strategy to characterize an alkaline slurry formulation aimed at minimizing galvanic corrosion in the CMP systems involving Ru, Ta (barrier metals) and Cu (wiring metal). This slurry is based on percarbonate and guanidine additives, and the test metals are polycrystalline disc samples. A particular goal of this study is to explore the essential analytical aspects of evaluating CMP systems in the triboelectrochemical approach. The CMP specific surface reactions are characterized by potentiodynamic polarization and open circuit voltage measurements, performed both in the presence and in the absence of polishing, and by employing abrasive free as well as abrasive (colloidal SiO 2 ) added solutions. The findings of these experiments are further checked by using impedance spectroscopy. The electrochemical mixed potential steps of the CMP promoting reactions are analyzed, and the removable surface species formed by these reactions are discussed. The recent developments in the manufacturing of advanced interconnects have largely centered on the Cu/low-k technology, where the processing challenges are coupled with those of material selection. The introduction of mechanically fragile low-k dielectrics has set strict limits on the usable down-pressure of chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) used in the processing of Cu interconnects. This in turn has driven the strategies for material removal more toward the chemical considerations of CMP, and less reliant on mechanical abrasion.2,3 At the same time, the CMP chemistries of the relatively unconventional new barrier materials have presented other challenges, because in the slurry environment, they often have appeared chemically too inert 4 or too corrosive.5 If the CMP chemistries for these new materials are not properly controlled, the processed wafer can develop surface defects due to erosion and galvanic corrosion activated by the wet CMP process. Such defects are detrimental to device performance, and this issue is particularly relevant for the CMP of ultrathin (< 5 nm) barrier films, where defect-control is often more critical than achieving high rates of material removal. Due to these reasons, the tasks of designing the slurry chemistries for metal CMP have become progressively more complex during recent years. This specific aspect of CMP consumable challenges can be addressed to a large extent by employing laboratory scale evaluations of slurry compositions with electrochemical measurements. The present work is based on this approach.The role of electrochemical reactions (and hence the applicability of electro-analytical tests in this context) is integrated in the overall mechanism of chemically promoted metal-C...