Patent ID: 7393773

Claim:
A method of processing a substrate, the method comprising the steps of: applying a plurality of bumps of electrically conductive material onto conductive regions of the substrate; wherein prior to applying the plurality of bumps, the substrate is substantially non-planar; and deforming two or more bumps of the plurality of bumps such that an entire top surface of each of the two or more bumps is both substantially flat and substantially co-planar with one another, the deforming step comprising: applying a flattening tool to a first bump of the two or more bumps such that a planar head of the flattening tool that is in contact with the entire top surface of the first bump is substantially at a specified distance relative to a reference plane; and applying the flattening tool to a second bump of the two or more bumps such that the planar head of the flattening tool that is in contact with the entire top surface of the second bump is substantially at the specified distance relative to the reference plane.