Solution composition and process for etching silicon

A process for etching a silicon wafer is disclosed. The process comprises oxidizing silicon with permanganate ions and stripping the silicon oxide with hydrofluoric acid, in the presence of a non-oxidizable acid and typically a surfactant. The present process affords a means to more consistently obtain a silicon wafer having improved gloss or smoothness, while minimizing both the amount of silicon removed from the wafer surface and the cost of the etching process.