The main utility of electrochemical mechanical planarization (ECMP) is its low-pressure planarization capability, which is necessary for processing the new (<= 65 nm) interconnect structures that contain mechanically fragile porous low permittivity dielectrics. Controlling the surface reactions (that is, controlling the voltage-induced material removal) in ECMP, however, requires a carefully designed combination of a number of electrochemical input variables (voltage activation program and electrolyte composition). In the present work, we study the main experimental factors for designing these parameters and present results for rectangular-voltage-pulse modulated dissolution of Cu in electrolytes containing NO3-, glycine, and hydrogen peroxide. (c) 2005 The Electrochemical Society.