Patent ID: 7132035
Filing Date: 2006-11-07
Classification: B24B,H01L

Abstract:
1. A planarizing system for removing material from a microelectronic-device substrate assembly, comprising: a table; a polishing pad attached to the table, the polishing pad having a planarizing surface; a carrier assembly including a substrate holder positionable over the polishing pad, the substrate holder being moveable along an axis at an angle with respect to the planarizing surface, and at least one of the substrate holder and the polishing pad being moveable in a plane to translate the substrate holder with respect to the planarizing surface of the polishing pad; a substrate assembly including a substrate, an endpoint indicator having a first coefficient of friction at an endpoint elevation over the substrate, and a cover layer having a second coefficient of friction over the endpoint indicator, the endpoint indicator further including a treated surface stratum at the endpoint elevation having a coefficient of friction that is different from the first coefficient of friction and the second coefficient of friction, the substrate assembly being attached to the substrate holder; a first thermal drag force indicator attached to the substrate holder, the first thermal drag force indicator operable to detect changes in temperature of the substrate assembly while the substrate assembly and the planarizing pad are moved relative to one another and thereby to measure changes in drag force between the substrate assembly and the polishing pad; and a second thermal drag force indicator positioned over and spaced apart from the polishing pad, the second thermal drag force indicator operable to detect changes in temperature of at least one of the planarizing pad and a planarizing solution on the planarizing surface while the substrate assembly and the planarizing pad are moved relative to one another and thereby to measure changes in drag force between the substrate assembly and the polishing pad.