Experimental Investigations on Flatness and Subsurface Damage in Lapping of Substrate Wafers: A Literature Review

Lapping is an important material-removal process for manufacturing of substrate wafers. Objectives of lapping include removing subsurface damage in sliced wafers, thinning wafers to target thickness, and achieving desired flatness of wafer surfaces. A comprehensive literature review has been conducted on experimental investigations on lapping of substrate wafers. The review on material removal rate and surface roughness was published as a journal paper. As a follow-up, this paper reviews the literature on flatness and subsurface damage in lapping of substrate wafers. It presents reported experimental results on effects of process parameters on flatness and subsurface damage.