Preparation of Large Thin Area Vlsi Tem Specimens by Dimpling With A “Flatting Tool”

1991 ◽  
Vol 254 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen L. Humiston ◽  
Bryan M. Tracy ◽  
M. Lawrence ◽  
A. Dass
Keyword(s):  
Cross Section ◽  
Milling Time ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
Preparation Technique ◽  
Ion Milling ◽  
Sampling Area ◽  
Preparation Methods

AbstractAn alternative VLSI TEM specimen preparation technique has been developed to produce 100μm diameter electron transparent thin area by using a conventional dimpler with a texmet padded ‘flatting tool’ for dimpling and a microcloth padded ‘flatting tool’ for polishing, followed by low angle ion milling. The advantages of this technique are a large sampling area and shorter milling times than conventional specimen preparation methods. In the following, we report the details of the modified dimpling technique. The improvements in available electron transparency, and a decrease in ion milling time are demonstrated with the preparation of planar and cross section VLSI device samples.

A Fast and Precise Specimen Preparation Technique for TEM Investigation of Prespecified Areas of Semiconductor Devices

1990 ◽  
Vol 199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albert Romano ◽  
Jan Vanhellemont ◽  
Hugo Bender
Keyword(s):  
Cross Section ◽  
Semiconductor Devices ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
Preparation Technique ◽  
Ion Milling ◽  
Special Equipment ◽  
Plan View

ABSTRACTIn this paper we present a rapid and highly precise plan view and cross-section specimen preparation technique for the localized thinning of semiconductor devices for TEM investigation. No special equipment except the commercially available one is required. Crosssection preparation takes about 6 hours, while plan view takes about 4 hours. Prespecified areas of 0.6 μm wide and 10 μm long can easily be thinned with transparency for CTEM and HREM. Using an iterative ion milling procedure allows to scan a complete device in HREM.

A technique for preparing semiconductor cross sections for both TEM and SEM analysis

1989 ◽  
Vol 47 ◽  
pp. 712-713
Author(s):  
Stanley J. Klepeis ◽  
J.P. Benedict ◽  
R.M Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Sample Preparation ◽  
Cross Section ◽  
Cross Sections ◽  
Sem Analysis ◽  
Preparation Technique ◽  
Ion Milling ◽  
Tem Analysis ◽  
Polished Cross Section ◽  
Area Of Interest ◽  
Polished Side

The ability to prepare a cross-section of a specific semiconductor structure for both SEM and TEM analysis is vital in characterizing the smaller, more complex devices that are now being designed and manufactured. In the past, a unique sample was prepared for either SEM or TEM analysis of a structure. In choosing to do SEM, valuable and unique information was lost to TEM analysis. An alternative, the SEM examination of thinned TEM samples, was frequently made difficult by topographical artifacts introduced by mechanical polishing and lengthy ion-milling. Thus, the need to produce a TEM sample from a unique,cross-sectioned SEM sample has produced this sample preparation technique.The technique is divided into an SEM and a TEM sample preparation phase. The first four steps in the SEM phase: bulk reduction, cleaning, gluing and trimming produces a reinforced sample with the area of interest in the center of the sample. This sample is then mounted on a special SEM stud. The stud is inserted into an L-shaped holder and this holder is attached to the Klepeis polisher (see figs. 1 and 2). An SEM cross-section of the sample is then prepared by mechanically polishing the sample to the area of interest using the Klepeis polisher. The polished cross-section is cleaned and the SEM stud with the attached sample, is removed from the L-shaped holder. The stud is then inserted into the ion-miller and the sample is briefly milled (less than 2 minutes) on the polished side. The sample on the stud may then be carbon coated and placed in the SEM for analysis.

Microscopy of porous ceramics

1989 ◽  
Vol 47 ◽  
pp. 438-439
Author(s):  
H. M. Kerch ◽  
R. A. Gerhardt
Keyword(s):  
Porous Ceramics ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
High Porosity ◽  
Ion Milling ◽  
Forming Process ◽  
Preparation Methods ◽  
Pore Texture ◽  
Proper Design ◽  
And Function ◽  
Function Information

Highly porous ceramics are employed in a variety of engineering applications due to their unique mechanical, optical, and electrical characteristics. In order to achieve proper design and function, information about the pore structure must be obtained. Parameters of importance include pore size, pore volume, and size distribution, as well as pore texture and geometry. A quantitative determination of these features for high porosity materials by a microscopic technique is usually not done because artifacts introduced by either the sample preparation method or the image forming process of the microscope make interpretation difficult.Scanning electron microscopy for both fractured and polished surfaces has been utilized extensively for examining pore structures. However, there is uncertainty in distinguishing between topography and pores for the fractured specimen and sample pullout obscures the true morphology for samples that are polished. In addition, very small pores (nm range) cannot be resolved in the S.E.M. On the other hand, T.E.M. has better resolution but the specimen preparation methods involved such as powder dispersion, ion milling, and chemical etching may incur problems ranging from preferential widening of pores to partial or complete destruction of the pore network.

A procedure for cross-sectioning materials for TEM analysis without ion milling

1990 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 742-743
Author(s):  
J.P. Benedict ◽  
Ron Anderson ◽  
S. J. Klepeis
Keyword(s):  
Surface Topography ◽  
Milling Time ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
Ion Milling ◽  
Cleaning Operation ◽  
Tem Analysis ◽  
Platinum Silicide ◽  
Surface Alteration ◽  
Polishing Damage ◽  
Tools And Methods

Traditional specimen preparation procedures for non-biological samples, especially cross section preparation procedures, involves subjecting the specimen to ion milling for times ranging from minutes to tens of hours. Long ion milling time produces surface alteration, atomic number and rough-surface topography artifacts, and high temperatures. The introduction of new tools and methods in this laboratory improved our ability to mechanically thin specimens to a point where ion milling time was reduced to one to ten minutes. Very short ion milling times meant that ion milling was more of a cleaning operation than a thinning operation. The preferential thinning and the surface topography that still existed in briefly ion milled samples made the study of interfaces between materials such as platinum silicide and silicon difficult. These two problems can be eliminated by completely eliminating the ion milling step and mechanically polishing the sample to TEM transparency with the procedure outlined in this communication. Previous successful efforts leading to mechanically thinned specimens have shown that problems center on tool tilt control, removal of polishing damage, and specimen cleanliness.

scholarly journals A revision of bird skin preparation aimed at improving the scientific value of ornithological collections

2021 ◽  
pp. 175815592098715
Author(s):  
José Carrillo-Ortiz ◽  
Santi Guallar ◽  
Jessica Martínez-Vargas ◽  
Javier Quesada
Keyword(s):  
The Body ◽  
Biological Knowledge ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
Preparation Technique ◽  
Tarsus Length ◽  
Skin Preparation ◽  
Primary Feather ◽  
Preparation Methods ◽  
Wing Chord ◽  
Scientific Value

The methods used to preserve bird skins in museums have a potentially crucial impact on the feasibility and use of these specimens as a source of biological knowledge, although this subject is rarely broached. Study skins of birds are usually prepared with folded wings and straight legs to facilitate storage in the collection; yet, this method can hamper the measurement and examination of certain important features such as wing-feather moult. To make consultation easier for ornithologists, alternative preparation methods such as the splitting of wings and tarsi from the rest of the animal have been proposed by curators. Our aim was to study whether or not preparing bird specimens with spread limbs makes consultation simpler. First, we used two different methods to prepare two specimens each of two common European passerine species: (1) ‘traditional’ (folded wings and straight tarsi) and (2) ‘spread’ (limbs spread on one side of the body). Then, we asked 22 experienced ornithologists to identify moult limits and take three biometric measurements (wing chord, length of the third primary feather and tarsus length) from all four specimens. Subsequently, we asked which preparation method they preferred for obtaining data. The ‘spread’ preparation was preferred for moult, third primary feather length and tarsus length, whilst the ‘traditional’ preparation was preferred for wing chord. Data obtained from the folded and spread preparations were very highly repeatable within each method but only moderately to highly repeatable between methods. One of the handicaps with the ‘spread’ preparation is the increase in storage space required, a factor that should be taken into account before it is employed. Nevertheless, this specimen preparation technique can greatly facilitate consultation and therefore improve the scientific value of ornithological collections.

Tem Specimen Preparation for Display Materials of Vacuum Fluorescent Displays

1998 ◽  
Vol 4 (S2) ◽  
pp. 870-871
Author(s):  
T. Dolukhanyan ◽  
C. Sung ◽  
S. Ahn ◽  
J. Lee
Keyword(s):  
Bulk Material ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
High Yield ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
List Type ◽  
Ion Milling ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Preparation Methods ◽  
Plan View ◽  
Submicron Scale

Further development of Vacuum Fluorescent Displays (Fig.l) for low cost production and high yield requires investigation of all the components on a submicron scale at various processing stages.A variety of specimen preparation methods have been used for making different types of high quality cross-sectional and plan-view TEM specimens from:1.Initial phosphor materials - ZnCdS powders admixed with conducting powder of ln2O3;2.In2O3 mixed ZnCdS phosphor layers of ready-made working VFD;3.W - filament cathodes coated with (Ba,Sr,Ca) oxides.Rapid sharing of results.Group 1 specimens were made both by direct dispersion of phosphor powder particles on the carbon coated copper grid from acetone diluted powder suspension, and by preparation of cured bulk material from the powder using Gatan G-l epoxy, followed by cutting, grinding-dimpling and final ion milling in Gatan DuoMill 600 (Fig.2).

scholarly journals Rapid Cross-Section TEM Specimen Preparation of III-V Materials

2003 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Beanland
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscope ◽  
Cross Section ◽  
Transmission Electron Microscope ◽  
Limited Resources ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
Preparation Technique ◽  
Sample Type ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Conventional Methods ◽  
The Cross

AbstractCross-section transmission electron microscope (TEM) specimen preparation of Ill-V materials using conventional methods can be a painful and time-consuming activity, with a day or more from receipt of a sample to examination in the TEM being the norm. This article describes the cross-section TEM specimen preparation technique used at Bookham Caswell. The usual time from start to finish is <1 hour. Up to 10 samples can be prepared at once, depending upon sample type. Most of the tools used are widely available and inexpensive, making the technique ideal for use in institutions with limited resources.

Mechanical Polishing to Submicron Thickness for Extensive Thin Area in Heterogeneous Samples

1990 ◽  
Vol 199 ◽  
Author(s):  
David F. Dawson-Elli ◽  
Marek A. Turowski ◽  
Thomas F. Kelly ◽  
Yeon-Wook Kim ◽  
Nuri A. Zreiba ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cross Section ◽  
Ion Milling ◽  
Mechanical Grinding ◽  
Sampling Area ◽  
Heterogeneous Samples ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Ultra Precision ◽  
Electroplated Copper ◽  
Short Time ◽  
Rapidly Solidified

ABSTRACTIon-milling-based sample preparation has the advantage that thin area can be obtained from almost any material. It has the disadvantage, however, that the amount of thin area can often be quite limited. This poses a problem when a large sampling area is needed from materials which must be thinned by ion milling. Cross-sectioned samples and grossly heterogeneous materials are two examples where this problem may be encountered. The group at IBM in East Fishkill have developed methods for mechanical grinding and polishing of TEM samples down to about I micron thickness. They use this as a starting point for final thinning by ion milling. This approach produces a large uniform thin area in a short time in the ion mill. We have built jigs that allow us to make these mechanically-thinned samples. We have also made flat-bottomed dimples using ultra-precision dimple grinders to achieve similar results. Both of these approaches are described. Examples are taken from cross-section samples of thin films on silicon, from steels with large carbides, and from rapidly solidified metal spheres embedded in electroplated copper.

TEM cross-section preparation with minimal ion milling time

1996 ◽  
Vol 182 (3) ◽  
pp. 186-191 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. P. SCOTT ◽  
A. J. CRAVEN ◽  
P. HATTO ◽  
C. DAVIES
Keyword(s):  
Cross Section ◽  
Milling Time ◽  
Ion Milling

TEM specimen preparation of individual SiC/C composite (SCS-6) fibers

1991 ◽  
Vol 49 ◽  
pp. 1104-1105
Author(s):  
R. Alani ◽  
P.R. Swann
Keyword(s):  
Composite Materials ◽  
Cross Section ◽  
Ceramic Matrix Composite ◽  
Ceramic Matrix ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
Ion Milling ◽  
Reliable Technique ◽  
Sic Fiber ◽  
Carbon Core ◽  
General Method

SiC/C based fibers (SCS) have exciting possibilities as reinforcements in advanced metal and ceramic matrix composite materials and there has been a growing interest in preparing specimens of these fibers for TEM studies. Unfortunately, the task of preparing very thin cross section of entire fibers is difficult because the constituent materials making up the fibers have widely different ion milling rates i.e. a carbon core surrounded by a SiC layer coated internally and externally with carbon. In this article, a rapid and reliable technique for preparing TEM specimen of the SCS-6 SiC fiber (manufactured by Textron) is described and together with the results of CTEM, HREM and PEELS studies. The technique is based on a general method of TEM specimen preparation of small objects, e.g. fibers and powder, reported elsewhere.

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