A method for fabricating a microelectronic product provides for forming a
planarizing layer upon a bond pad and a topographic feature, both formed
laterally separated over a substrate. The planarizing layer is formed with
a diminished thickness upon the bond pad such that it may be readily
etched to expose the bond pad while employing as a mask an additional
layer formed over the topographic feature but not over the bond pad. The
method is particularly useful for forming color filter sensor image array
optoelectronic products with attenuated bond pad corrosion.
