Method and apparatus for endpointing a chemical-mechanical planarization process

A method of planarizing a surface of a microelectronic substrate, comprising:

• placing an endpointing substance in the substrate beneath the surface of the substrate solely for the purpose of endpointing the planarizing of the substrate;
• abrasively removing material from the substrate at least to the level of the endpointing substance;
• detecting when the endpointing substance is being abrasively removed along with the abrasive removal of the material from the substrate;
• and
• terminating the abrasive removal of the material from the substrate responsive to detecting the abrasive removal of the endpointing substance.

In a planarizing process of a microelectronic substrate that includes a first substance, a method of endpointing the planarizing process, comprising:

• incorporating an amount of a second substance into the microelectronic substrate by implanting the second substance in the first substance and beneath a surface of the microelectronic substrate;
• reducing a thickness of the microelectronic substrate by removing material from the microelectronic substrate to expose the second substance;
• detecting the second substance by analyzing material of the microelectronic substrate;
• and
• further reducing the thickness of the microelectronic substrate by removing approximately the entire amount of the second substance from the microelectronic substrate.

In a planarizing process of a microelectronic substrate that includes a first substance, a method of endpointing the planarizing process, comprising:

• incorporating a second substance into the microelectronic substrate;
• removing material from the microelectronic substrate to expose the second substance;
• removing at least a portion of the second substance from the microelectronic substrate;
• and
• detecting the portion of the second substance by determining an atomic mass of the second substance.

In a planarizing process of a microelectronic substrate that includes a first substance, a method of endpointing the planarizing process, comprising:

• implanting a second substance beneath a surface of the microelectronic substrate;
• removing material from the microelectronic substrate to expose the second substance;
• removing at least a portion of the second substance;
• and
• detecting light emitted by atoms of the second substance.

In a planarizing process of a microelectronic substrate that includes a first substance, a method of endpointing the planarizing process, comprising:

• implanting a second substance beneath a surface of the microelectronic substrate;
• directing laser radiation toward the surface of the microelectronic substrate and exciting atoms impinged by the laser radiation
• removing material from the microelectronic substrate to expose the second substance;
• detecting the second substance by determining an intensity of light emitted by excited atoms of the second substance while the second substance is attached to the microelectronic substrate;
• and
• removing a sufficient amount of the second substance from the microelectronic substrate such that electrical characteristics of the microelectronic substrate are generally the same as those of the microelectronic substrate without the second substance.

An apparatus for detecting the endpoint of a planarizing process of a microelectronic substrate having a first substance and a second substance, the second substance being beneath a surface of the microelectronic substrate, the apparatus comprising:

• a planarizing device having a first portion and a second portion movable relative to the first portion to remove material from the microelectronic substrate positioned therebetween, the material including atoms of the first and second substances;
• transport means to move the material from the planarizing device;
• and
• a mass spectrometer coupled to the transport means to receive the material and detect the atomic mass of the second substance.

An apparatus for detecting the endpoint of a planarizing process of a microelectronic substrate having a first substance and a second substance implanted in the first substance, comprising:

• a planarizing device having a first portion and a second portion movable relative to the first portion to remove material from the microelectronic substrate, the material including atoms of the first and second substances;
• a source of impinging radiation located proximate to the planarizing device and having an aperture to direct the impinging radiation toward the microelectronic device;
• and
• a detector spaced apart from the microelectronic device to receive emitted radiation emitted by atoms of the microelectronic substrate while the atoms are attached to the microelectronic substrate.