Patent ID: 6552408
Filing Date: 2003-04-22
Classification: B24B,H01L

Abstract:
A substrate assembly structure for fabricating microelectronic-devices, comprising:a substrate; an endpoint indicator having a surface positioned at an endpoint elevation over the substrate, the surface being treated to form a stratum of material on the endpoint indicator having a first coefficient of friction different from a coefficient of friction of the endpoint indicator, the endpoint indicator being a layer of plasma deposited silicon nitride, silicon carbide or boron nitride; and a cover layer having a second coefficient of friction over the stratum, the first coefficient of friction being different than the second coefficient of friction, the difference between the first coefficient of friction and the second coefficient of friction being detectable as a difference in a drag force between the substrate assembly and a polishing pad as the substrate assembly and the pad move relative to one another to indicate the endpoint elevation when the assembly is planarized.