Removal of brittle materials in the brittle or ductile mode inevitably causes damaged or strained surface layers containing cracks, scratches or dislocations. Within elastic deformation, the arrangement of each atom can be recovered back to its original position without any defects introduced. Based on surface hydroxylation and chemisorption theory, material removal mechanism of quartz glass in the elastic mode is analyzed to obtain defect-free surface. Elastic contact condition between nanoparticle and quartz glass surface is confirmed from the Hertz contact theory model. Atoms on the quartz glass surface are removed by chemical bond generated by impact reaction in the elastic mode, so no defects are generated without mechanical process. Experiment was conducted on a numerically controlled system for nanoparticle jet polishing, and one flat quartz glass was polished in the elastic mode. Results show that scratches on the sample surface are completely removed away with no mechanical defects introduced, and microroughness(Ra) is decreased from 1.23 nm to 0.47 nm. Functional group Ce — O — Si on ceria nanoparticles after polishing was detected directly and indirectly by FTIR, XRD and XPS spectra analysis from which the chemical impact reaction is validated.
