Etching and mechanical grinding film-layers stacked on a semiconductor substrate

In some embodiments, a method of forming an integrated circuit includes providing a semiconductor substrate having an electronic circuit formed on a front side, and having a first material layer located over a second side of the substrate and a second material layer located between the first material layer and the second side. At least a portion of the first material layer is removed using a first chemical etching process, thereby exposing the second material layer. At least a portion of the second material layer is removed using a second chemical etching process. A portion of the substrate is then mechanically removed from the second side.