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This study uses cross-section transmission electron microscope (XTEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), ellipsometry and atomic force microscope (AFM) to characterize the surface layer of Si wafers after diamond grounded and chemornechanical polished (CMP). The wafers are designed as #1200, #2000, #4000, #6000, and #8000, respectively, which are electrolytic in-process dressed (ELIDed) with diamond under various grain size, whereas #4000P which is first ground and then CMP. An armorphous damaged layer is always formed on the surface and contains a thin layer of oxide (SiOx, x≦2) and underneath coexists a high density defects. The SiOx thicknesses determined by FTIR are: 5~15 nm for #2000, #4000, #4000P, and #6000, 4~5 nm for #1200, and less then 4 nm for #8000 sample. The SiOx thickness of #4000P is 5.5 nm determined by AES and 5.6 nm determined by ellipsometry. The SiOx thicknesses of #4000 and #4000P specimens are further confirmed by XTEM and consistent with the FTIR, AES, and ellipsometry analyses. The defects formed on the surface characterized by SEM, AFM, and XTEM are: #1200 specimen only has crack on the surface, #2000, #4000, #6000, and #8000 specimens have both crack and dislocation on the surface, #4000P specimen has clean surface with no cracks and dislocations.
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