Wafer planarization using a uniform layer of material and method and apparatus for forming uniform layer of material used in semiconductor processing

A method of forming a layer of material on a substrate assembly comprising:

• soaking the material at a soaking temperature below a melting point of the material until a temperature throughout the material is substantially uniform;
• pressing the material between first and second flat pressing surfaces;
• positioning a stop between the first and second flat pressing surfaces to limit the extent to which the first and second flat pressing surfaces approach one another during pressing to thereby form a layer of material with first and second major surfaces being formed by the first and second flat pressing surfaces, respectively, the layer of material having a substantially uniform thickness;
• removing the layer of material from the first and second flat pressing surfaces;
• and placing the layer of material over a surface of the substrate assembly.

A method of forming a layer of a material on a substrate assembly comprising:

• providing first and second flat pressing surfaces for pressing the material;
• positioning a shim between the first and second flat pressing surfaces;
• pressing the material between the first and second flat pressing surfaces to form a layer of material, the shim being configured to limit the extent to which the first and second flat pressing surfaces approach one another during pressing so as to define the thickness of the layer of material, the layer of material having first and second major surfaces formed by the first and second flat pressing surfaces, respectively, and wherein the first and second major surfaces are within about fifty angstroms of being flat and the thickness of the layer of material does not vary more than about five millionths of an inch;
• and
• applying one of the first and second major surfaces to a surface of the substrate assembly.

A method of forming a layer of a material on a substrate assembly comprising:

• heating the material until the material has a substantially uniform temperature that is below the melting point of the material;
• pressing the material between first and second flat pressing surfaces to form a layer of material having first and second major surfaces formed by the first and second pressing surfaces, respectively, and wherein the first and second major surfaces are within about fifty angstroms of being flat and the layer of material has a thickness between the first and second major surfaces that does not vary greater than about five millionths of an inch;
• disposing the layer of material at least partially between a surface of the substrate assembly and a third pressing surface;
• and
• planarizing the surface of the substrate assembly by pressing the layer of material against the surface of the substrate assembly with the third pressing surface.

A method of forming a layer of a material on a substrate assembly comprising:

• heating the material;
• pressing the material between first and second flat pressing surfaces;
• disposing a stop between the first and second pressing surfaces to limit the extent to which the first and second pressing surfaces approach one another during pressing to thereby form a layer of substantially uniform thickness having first and second major surfaces with the first and second major surfaces being formed by the flat pressing surfaces;
• and
• applying one of the first and second major surfaces to a surface of a substrate assembly.