Polishing pads and planarizing machines for mechanical or chemical-mechanical planarization of microelectronic-device substrate assemblies, and methods for making and using such pads and machines

A polishing pad for planarizing microelectronic-device substrate assemblies, comprising:

• a polymeric base section having a first surface, a plurality of contour surfaces above the first surface, and a second surface configured to be placed over a support table of a planarizing machine;
• and
• a plurality of abrasive elements projecting away from the base section to define at least a portion of a planarizing surface for engaging a microelectronic-device substrate assembly, the abrasive elements including raised portions of a hard cover layer over the contour surfaces that project away from the base section.

A method of planarizing a microelectronic-device substrate assembly, comprising:

• pressing a surface of the substrate assembly against a polishing pad including a polymeric backing member having a first surface and a second surface, a plurality of pattern elements distributed over the first surface of the backing member to define a plurality of contour surfaces projecting away from the first surface of the backing member, and a hard cover layer over the pattern elements and over portions of the first surface of the backing member exposed between pattern elements, the cover layer at least substantially conforming to the contour surfaces of the pattern elements to form a plurality of hard nodules projecting away from the first surface of the backing member, the nodules defining at least a portion of a planarizing surface of the polishing pad for engaging a microelectronic-device substrate assembly held by a substrate holder;
• and
• moving at least one of the substrate assembly or the polishing pad to translate the surface of the substrate assembly across at least a portion of the hard nodules.

A method of planarizing a microelectronic-device substrate assembly, comprising:

• pressing a surface of the substrate assembly against a polishing pad including a polymeric base section having a first surface, a plurality of contour surfaces above the first surface, and a second surface configured to be placed over a support table of a planarizing machine, and the polishing pad further including a plurality of abrasive elements projecting away from the base section to define at least a portion of a planarizing surface for engaging a microelectronic-device substrate assembly held by a substrate holder, the abrasive elements including raised portions of a bard cover layer over the contour surfaces that project away from the base section;
• and
• moving at least one of the substrate assembly or the polishing pad to translate the surface of the substrate assembly across at least a portion of the abrasive elements.