Focused Ion Beam Milling and Micromanipulation Lift-Out for Site Specific Cross-Section Tem Specimen Preparation

1997 ◽  
Vol 480 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. A. Giannuzzi ◽  
J. L. Drown ◽  
S. R. Brown ◽  
R. B. Irwin ◽  
F. A. Stevie
Keyword(s):  
Cross Section ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Specific Area ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
Tem Analysis ◽  
Site Specific ◽  
Area Of Interest ◽  
Carbon Coated ◽  
A Site

AbstractA site specific technique for cross-section transmission electron microscopy specimen preparation of difficult materials is presented. Focused ion beams are used to slice an electron transparent sliver of the specimen from a specific area of interest. Micromanipulation lift-out procedures are then used to transport the electron transparent specimen to a carbon coated copper grid for subsequent TEM analysis. The experimental procedures are described in detail and an example of the lift-out technique is presented.

Rapid preparation of semiconductor cross sections for TEM analysis

1993 ◽  
Vol 51 ◽  
pp. 708-709
Author(s):  
John Benedict ◽  
Ron Anderson ◽  
Stanley J. Klepeis
Keyword(s):  
Cross Sections ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Specific Area ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
Preparation Time ◽  
Rapid Preparation ◽  
Tem Analysis ◽  
Short Sample ◽  
Area Of Interest

Semiconductor manufacturers examine cross sections of their semiconductor devices to check the quality and integrity of their product. The growing complexity and diminishing size of these devices has caused manufacturers to increasingly rely on the resolving and analytical capabilities of TEM. The manufacturers' requirements for TEM analysis are: high specimen preparation spatial resolution (preparation of a specific area, usually less than 0.5 microns in size), a large sample area (at least 0.5 mm) available for examination, and a short sample preparation time (e.g. several hours). To meet these needs we have developed a technique for rapid preparation of cross sections for TEM analysis.The specific area to be cross sectioned on the sample is identified by marking it with a laser or Focused Ion Beam (FIB) tool. The sample is then cut down to a 3 x 6 mm rectangle with the area of interest in the center. This rectangle is mounted using wax onto a Tripod polisher with the area of interest protruding over the edge of the polisher.

scholarly journals Using a Focused Ion Beam (FIB) System to Extract TEM-Ready Samples from Complex Metallic and Ceramic Structures

1999 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 12-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucille A. Giannuzzi ◽  
Richard Young ◽  
Pete Carleson
Keyword(s):  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Preparation Method ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
Magnetic Media ◽  
Tem Analysis ◽  
Micro Fabrication ◽  
Site Specific ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Two Sides

AbstractDriven by the analytical needs of microelectronics, magnetic media and micro-fabrication industries, focused ion beam (FIB) systems are now capable of milling and manipulating samples for the analysis of microstructure features having dimensions of 180 nm or less, A technique for locating and extracting site specific specimens for examination by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has been developed. An identified feature can be located and precisely milled with an FIB system from two sides to prepare an ultrathin sample, and then extracted from the region with a glass rod micromanipulator onto a grid for TEM analysis. This specimen preparation method has been applied to semiconductor failure analysis and to the study of metallic and ceramic microsiructures with irregular topographies and complex mufti-layered components.

Microstructural Characterization of Automated Specimen Preparation for TEM Analysis

2000 ◽  
Vol 6 (S2) ◽  
pp. 528-529
Author(s):  
C. Urbanik Shannon ◽  
L. A. Giannuzzi ◽  
E. M. Raz
Keyword(s):  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Preparation Method ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Microstructural Characterization ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
Tem Analysis ◽  
Area Of Interest ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Preparation Techniques

Automated specimen preparation for transmission electron microscopy has the obvious advantage of saving personnel time. While some people may perform labor intensive specimen preparation techniques quickly, automated specimen preparation performed in a timely and reproducible fashion can significantly improve the throughput of specimens in an industrial laboratory. The advent of focused ion beam workstations for the preparation of electron transparent membranes has revolutionized TEM specimen preparation. The FIB lift-out technique is a powerful specimen preparation method. However, there are instances where the “traditional” FIB method of specimen preparation may be more suitable. The traditional FIB method requires that specimens must be prepared so that the area of interest is as thin as possible (preferably less than 50 μm) prior to FIB milling. Automating the initial specimen preparation for brittle materials (e.g., Si wafers) may be performed using the combination of cleaving and sawing techniques as described below.

TEM Sample Preparation for the Semiconductor Industry — Part 3

1996 ◽  
Vol 4 (6) ◽  
pp. 24-25
Author(s):  
John F. Walker
Keyword(s):  
Sample Preparation ◽  
Cross Section ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Semiconductor Industry ◽  
Focused Ion Beams ◽  
Accurate Identification ◽  
Tem Analysis ◽  
Site Specific ◽  
Transmission Electron

Part 1 of this series described how focused ion beam (FIB) microsurgery is used to successfully cross-section and prepare materialspecific samples for SEM and TEM analysis. In Part 2, we detailed how FIB is also the tool of choice to prepare site-specific samples, particularly for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis. In this final article of this series, we describe actual sample preparation, cutting a selected area la size and mounting it on a grid for FIB preparation. Focused ion beams are very useful in preparing TEM specimens that have unique characteristics. In particular, the ability of such systems to image submicron features within a structure has allowed accurate identification of the precise place to make a membrane.

A Tutorial of the Fib Lift-Out Technique for TEM Specimen Preparation

1999 ◽  
Vol 5 (S2) ◽  
pp. 516-517
Author(s):  
Lucille A. Giannuzzi
Keyword(s):  
Cross Sections ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Subsequent Development ◽  
Bulk Sample ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
Tem Analysis ◽  
Plan View ◽  
Area Of Interest ◽  
Wide Range

The focused ion beam (FIB) instrument has been developed and exploited by the microelectronics arena for specimen preparation for both scanning and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The inception [1] and subsequent development [2] of the FIB TEM lift-out (LO) technique has enabled electron transparent membranes of generally uniform thickness to be produced for TEM analysis. The primary advantage of the FIB technique is that site specific cross sections (or plan view sections [3]) may be fabricated quickly and reproducibly. The FIB LO technique has been used extensively in our laboratory for a wide range of materials [4] and biological applications [5] which are summarized in figure 1.The FIB LO method consists of milling a series of trenches around an area of interest. Then the bulk sample is tilted up to ∼60 degrees to allow the beam to impinge on the lower portion of the specimen surface so that cuts can be made along the bottom edge and the lower 2/3 of the distance up one side of the specimen.

scholarly journals Experience with a Dicing Saw for Rapid Pre-FIB TEM Sample Preparation

2005 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 26-29
Author(s):  
Jim Conner ◽  
James Beck ◽  
Bryan Tracy
Keyword(s):  
Sample Preparation ◽  
Cross Section ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Sample Holder ◽  
Plan View ◽  
Site Specific ◽  
Area Of Interest ◽  
Sample Edge ◽  
Unusual Amount

Since the publication of the use of a dicing saw for TEM sample preparation, several analytical labs have adopted this method as standard practice for site-specific cross section and plan view samples. In this article, we would like to provide additional practical details of these procedures, and describe several extensions, including useful notes on batch processing, preparing samples with an area of interest very close to the sample edge, and a Focused Ion Beam (FIB)-compatible sample holder. We present an unusual amount of detail in these processes to show some of the evolution of the method since its introduction and to allow others to easily reproduce these results.

Site Specific TEM Analysis of Micrometer-Sized Particles with the FIB Lift-Out Technique

2000 ◽  
Vol 6 (S2) ◽  
pp. 518-519
Author(s):  
J. K. Lomness ◽  
L. A. Giannuzzi ◽  
M. D. Hampto
Keyword(s):  
Powder Particle ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
Preparation Technique ◽  
Uniform Thickness ◽  
Tem Analysis ◽  
Site Specific ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Powder Particles

The focused ion beam (FIB) instrument offers an efficient and reproducible approach for obtaining electron transparent membranes of uniform thickness for TEM analysis. Thus, the use of the FIB to investigate numerous types of materials has grown tremendously recently. Prenitzer et al. demonstrated the ability to acquire TEM specimens from individual Zn powder particles using the FIB lift-out (LO) specimen preparation technique. The 10 μm × 100 μm Zn powders particles were larger than the 5 μrn x 20 μm FIB LO specimen and therefore the LO technique could be directly applied to an individual powder particle. This paper will discuss a novel approach for the preparation of site specific micrometer-sized particles for TEM analysis using the FIB LO technique. The uniqueness of the technique described herein is that site specific TEM LO specimens may be obtained from regions which are smaller than the conventional dimensions of the LO specimen.

Focused Ion Beam Analysis of Low-K Dielectrics

2000 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. J. Bender ◽  
R. A. Donaton
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscope ◽  
Cross Section ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Single Step ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Beam Analysis ◽  
Low K ◽  
Scanning Electron

Abstract The characteristics of an organic low-k dielectric during investigation by focused ion beam (FIB) are discussed for the different FIB application modes: cross-section imaging, specimen preparation for transmission electron microscopy, and via milling for device modification. It is shown that the material is more stable under the ion beam than under the electron beam in the scanning electron microscope (SEM) or in the transmission electron microscope (TEM). The milling of the material by H2O vapor assistance is strongly enhanced. Also by applying XeF2 etching an enhanced milling rate can be obtained so that both the polymer layer and the intermediate oxides can be etched in a single step.

A Methodology to Reduce Ion Beam Induced Damage in TEM Specimens Prepared by FIB

2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chin Kai Liu ◽  
Chi Jen. Chen ◽  
Jeh Yan.Chiou ◽  
David Su
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Transmission Electron Microscopy ◽  
Sample Preparation ◽  
Integrated Circuit ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
Tem Analysis ◽  
Sensitive Issue ◽  
Transmission Electron

Abstract Focused ion beam (FIB) has become a useful tool in the Integrated Circuit (IC) industry, It is playing an important role in Failure Analysis (FA), circuit repair and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) specimen preparation. In particular, preparation of TEM samples using FIB has become popular within the last ten years [1]; the progress in this field is well documented. Given the usefulness of FIB, “Artifact” however is a very sensitive issue in TEM inspections. The ability to identify those artifacts in TEM analysis is an important as to understanding the significance of pictures In this paper, we will describe how to measure the damages introduced by FIB sample preparation and introduce a better way to prevent such kind of artifacts.

Site-Specific Low Angle Plasma FIB Milling for Cross-Sectional Electrical Characterization

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chuan Zhang ◽  
Jane Y. Li ◽  
John Aguada ◽  
Howard Marks
Keyword(s):  
Cross Section ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Electrical Characteristic ◽  
Preparation Method ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Grazing Angle ◽  
Electrical Characterization ◽  
Sample Preparation Method ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Site Specific

Abstract This paper introduces a novel sample preparation method using plasma focused ion-beam (pFIB) milling at low grazing angle. Efficient and high precision preparation of site-specific cross-sectional samples with minimal alternation of device parameters can be achieved with this method. It offers the capability of acquiring a range of electrical characteristic signals from specific sites on the cross-section of devices, including imaging of junctions, Fins in the FinFETs and electrical probing of interconnect metal traces.

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