Patent ID: 6613675
Filing Date: 2003-09-02
Classification: B24B,H01L

Abstract:
In the manufacturing of microelectronic devices, a method for planarizing a microelectronic-device substrate assembly, comprising:removing material from a surface of the substrate assembly by pressing the substrate surface against a polishing pad and imparting relative motion between the substrate surface and the polishing pad; detecting a first change in drag force between the substrate assembly and the polishing pad indicating a planar substrate surface in a cover layer disposed on the substrate assembly; identifying a second change in drag force between the substrate assembly and the polishing pad upon exposure of an endpoint indicator suspended in the cover layer at an endpoint elevation for the planarizing process, the endpoint indicator further including a treated surface stratum at the endpoint elevation having a coefficient of friction that is different from the endpoint indicator and the cover layer; and stopping removal of material from the substrate surface upon identifying the second change in drag force between the substrate assembly and the polishing pad.