Patent ID: 6951808

Claim:
A method for forming planarized structures of a metallic element within recesses of a surface, the method comprising the steps of: depositing the metallic element in at least the recesses of the surface, thereby at least completely filling the recesses with the metallic element, removing any deposited metallic element from the surface, thereby dishing upper surfaces of the deposited metallic element remaining within the recesses, depositing a precursor material in at least the dished upper surfaces of the deposited metallic element remaining within the recesses of the surface, where the precursor material is deposited to a thickness that at least fills the dished upper surfaces of the deposited metallic element remaining within the recesses of the surface, removing the precursor material from the surface, planarizing the precursor material, and selectively replacing with a desired material the precursor material within the dished upper surfaces of the metallic element remaining within the recesses of the surface, wherein the precursor material comprises amorphous silicon.