Method and apparatus for mechanical and chemical-mechanical planarization of microelectronic-device substrate assemblies

A polishing pad for mechanical and chemical-mechanical planarization of microelectronic-device substrate assemblies in the presence of a planarizing fluid, comprising:

• a body having a backing surface configured to be placed over a table of a planarizing machine and a front surface opposite the backing surface configured to face away from the table;
• a suspension medium attached to the body, the suspension medium having an exposed surface configured to face toward a substrate assembly to define at least a portion of a planarizing surface;
• a plurality of abrasive particles, at least a portion of the abrasive particles being fixedly attached to the suspension medium to define a fixed distribution of abrasive particles at the planarizing surface;
• and
• a plurality of reaction control elements separate from the abrasive particles, the reaction control elements being soluble in a planarizing fluid to impart a planarizing property to the planarizing fluid for selectively controlling interaction between the planarizing fluid and the substrate assembly, and the reaction control elements being fixedly attached to the suspension medium to provide a fixed distribution of reaction control elements at the planarizing surface of the polishing pad.

A planarizing machine for mechanical and chemical-mechanical planarization of microelectronic-device substrate assemblies in the presence of a planarizing fluid, comprising:

• a table;
• a carrier assembly having a substrate holder to which a substrate assembly can be attached;
• and
• a polishing pad including a body and a plurality of reaction control elements, the body having a backing surface configured to be placed over the table of a planarizing machine and a front surface opposite the backing surface configured to face away from the table, the reaction control elements being soluble in the planarizing fluid to impart a planarizing property to the planarizing fluid for selectively controlling interaction between the planarizing fluid and the substrate assembly, and at least a portion of the reaction control elements being distributed along at least the front surface of the body to define a planarizing surface with a fixed distribution of reaction control elements.

A planarizing machine for mechanical and chemical-mechanical planarization of microelectronic-device substrate assemblies in the presence of a planarizing fluid, comprising:

• a table;
• a carrier assembly having a substrate holder to which a substrate assembly can be attached;
• and
• a polishing pad having a suspension medium and a planarizing agent, the suspension medium having an exposed surface configured to face toward the substrate holder, the planarizing agent being arranged in the suspension medium in a fixed distribution across at least the exposed surface of the suspension medium to define at least a portion of a planarizing surface of the pad, the planarizing agent being soluble in the planarizing fluid to impart a chemical to the planarizing fluid that interacts with the substrate assembly for controlling removal of material from the substrate assembly.