Subsurface　damage　(SSD)　induced　by　silicon　wafer　grinding　process　is　an　unavoidable　problem　in　semiconductor　manufacturing.　Although　experimental　attempts　have　been　made　on　investigation　of　the　influential　factors　on　the　SSD　depth,　however,　few　theoretical　studies　have　been　conducted　to　obtain　SSD　depth　through　grinding　parameters.　To　fill　the　gap,　an　analytical　model　is　developed　to　predict　the　SSD　depth　in　silicon　wafer　due　to　self-rotating　grinding　process,　which　can　reveal　the　relationship　among　SSD　depth　and　the　grinding　parameters,　the　size　of　the　abrasive　grains　and　the　radial　distance　from　the　wafer　center.　The　establishment　of　the　proposed　model　is　based　on　scratch　theory　and　fracture　mechanics　of　isotropic　brittle　materials,　and　we　further　consider　the　effects　of　elastic　recovery,　cleavage　plane　and　crystalline　orientation　on　SSD　formation.　To　validate　the　applicability　of　the　proposed　predictive　model,　grinding　experiments　with　varied　grinding　parameters　are　performed　and　the　depths　of　SSD　along　the　＜　110　＞　and　＜　100　＞　crystal　directions　are　also　measured　and　analyzed.　The　results　given　by　the　proposed　model　present　reasonable　accuracy　of　less　than　20%　deviation　with　experimental　results.　Effects　of　grinding　parameters,　wafer　radial　distance,　crystalline　orientation,　and　abrasive　grain　size　on　SSD　depth　are　discussed　in　detail.