Investigation on subsurface damage in silicon wafers

Micro-Raman spectroscopy and chemical etching were applied to determine the depth of subsurface damage in silicon wafers undergoing different machining processes: cutting, grinding, polishing and lapping. In comparison with the Raman spectrum of perfect single crystal silicon, both the shape and intensity at the shoulder (500 cm^-1) and the subpeak (300 cm^-1) spectral regions were changed in all the machined wafers. The intensities at shoulder and subpeak gradually decreased and finally resumed to normal, as the depth of the investigated layer increased. According to the chemical etch rate, the depth of the subsurface damage was thus evaluated for the different wafers. TEM observations further confirmed the obtained results.