Due to the wealth of information, both analytical and structural that can be obtained from it TEM always has been a favorite tool for the analysis of process-induced defects in semiconductor wafers. The only major disadvantage has always been, that the volume under study in the TEM is relatively small, making it difficult to locate low density defects, and sample preparation is a somewhat lengthy procedure. This problem has been somewhat alleviated by the availability of efficient low angle milling.Using a PIPS® variable angle ion -mill, manufactured by Gatan, we have been consistently obtaining planar specimens with a high quality thin area in excess of 5 × 104 μm2 in about half an hour (milling time), which has made it possible to locate defects at lower densities, or, for defects of relatively high density, obtain information which is statistically more significant (table 1).
