Nano-level finishing of single crystal silicon blank using magnetorheological finishing process

Magnetorheological finishing (MRF) utilizes magnetorheological (MR) fluid, which consists of magnetic particles, nonmagnetic abrasives, and some additives in water or other carrier to polish the materials. An experimental study is conducted to predict the effect of process parameters (concentration of magnetic particles and abrasive particles, carrier wheel speed, and initial surface roughness) on surface finish and material removal rate in MRF of single crystal silicon blank. The final surface roughness value in terms of arithmetical mean roughness (Ra) obtained is as low as 8 nm from the initial value of 1300 nm. An optimization study is also carried out to find optimum values of process parameters from the selected range. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.