Patent ID: 7686935

Claim:
A method of planarizing a substrate face comprising processes of: providing a substrate wafer having a substrate face comprising metal, said substrate face defined by a side edge; providing an electropolishing head proximate to a first portion of said substrate face to create a thin gap between said electropolishing head and said first portion; providing an electropolishing liquid to create a thin liquid layer in said thin gap covering at least said first portion of said substrate face; cathodizing said electropolishing head; anodizing at least said first portion of said substrate face during said cathodizing to generate electrochemical dissolution of metal at said first portion; and physically buffing a second portion of said substrate face using a pad assembly, wherein substantially no electrochemical dissolution of metal occurs at said second portion; wherein said processes of anodizing at least said first portion of said substrate face comprise providing an electrical contact structure between a power source and said substrate wafer wherein no electrical contact structure physically contacts said substrate face.