Precision wafer thinning and its surface conditioning technique

Experimental observations were conducted to investigate the effects of various parameters on the surface finish and SubSurface Damage (SSD) of ground silicon wafers. A novel design in wet chemical etching was proposed and implemented to provide wafers a means of strength enhancement while allowing the user to control the backside wafer surface finish. The results indicate that no propagating crystalline defect was accompanied, but leaving the wafer in a rather good surface integrity for back metal adhesion purposes.