Methods and architectures for shallow fiducial and metal defined pad designs. Embodiments utilize a thinnable dielectric process. The architecture includes a substrate comprising a dielectric material with one or more conductive contacts on the surface. A layer of a thinnable dielectric or non-conductive material is over the substrate and over the one or more conductive contacts. The layer of dielectric or non-conductive material has a thinned region around individual conductive contacts. The thinned region has a thickness of 4 to 5 microns.