An improved apparatus and method are provided for effective, high speed contact planarization of coated curable substrates such as microelectronic devices to achieve very high degrees of planarization. The flash memory cell comprises a trench for defining a semiconductor substrate to be an active region and an inactive region, a trench insulating film burying the trench and having a given protrusion, an impurity region formed in the active region, a floating gate isolated by the protrusion and having rugged portions, and a dielectric film and a control gate formed on the floating gate. The socket body includes an insertion port having a dimension larger than a short diameter dimension of the oval shape of the holding portion of the earth pin and a notched portion communicating from the insertion port to a predetermined holding position P where the earth pin is held and allowing the leg portion of the earth pin to be inserted therethrough. The pointer manager also includes write circuitry to add, to a link list that is maintained with a second memory, a pointer value that is to be sent to the write hub. A retainer releasably retains the connectors and stop plugs in the orifices.