Various water soluble organic additives were used in ceria-based slurries to control both the silicon oxide and silicon nitride film removal rates. Our polish results and zeta potential data suggest that the additives with beta-diketonatelike structures can inhibit both oxide and nitride removal rates. We propose possible complexing between the additives and the ceria abrasives might be responsible for this removal rate inhibition. (C) 2010 The Electrochemical Society. [DOI: 10.1149/1.3519883] All rights reserved.