ABSTRACT
Large-scale integration (LSI) transitioned to very-large-scale integration (VLSI) and more recent technology nodes moved to ultra-large-scale integration (ULSI). As a result, over 3 million individual transistors are fabricated into a modern microprocessor roughly the size of a postage stamp. ¢e various dielectric and metal ©lms that make up the individual layers of the device need to be planarized (smoothed) through chemical mechanical planarization or polishing (CMP). To achieve miniaturization requirements of this magnitude, it is mandatory that thin ©lm planarization steps be integrated into the process ¬ow.
