Method for planarizing a semiconductor device surface with polymeric pad containing hollow polymeric microelements

A method of planarizing a surface of a semiconductor device comprising the steps of

• (a) providing a semiconductor device having a surface requiring planarization;
• (b) subjecting said surface to a working environment comprising a polishing slurry;
• (c) providing a planarizing pad comprising a polymeric matrix impregnated with a plurality of hollow, flexible, polymeric, organic microelements, at least some of said microelements being generally spherical in shape, said pad having a work surface and a subsurface proximate to said work surface, one portion of said polymeric microelements being at said work surface and exposed to said working environment, and another portion of said polymeric microelements being embedded within said subsurface of said pad that is not exposed to said working environment, said work surface of said pad being relatively softer than said subsurface as a result of said exposure of said one portion of said polymeric microelements at said work surface to said working environment;
• and
• (d) contacting said surface of said semiconductor device with said work surface of said planarizing pad with sliding movement to planarize said surface of the semiconductor device, during which contact said subsurface of said planarizing pad becomes said relatively softer work surface during wear of said pad when said polymeric elements are exposed to said working environment.