title: Selected area polishing for precision TEM sample preparation.
abstract: A selected area mechanical polishing technique has been developed to improve the precision of cross-sectional TEM sample preparation, based upon the early work of Benedict and colleagues [Benedict et al. (1990) MRS Symp. Proc. Vol. 199, p. 189]. TEM samples were made from a pre-selected section through the middle of a 1 micron wide band of transistors extending laterally for more than 1 mm by precise control over the plane of polish with a corresponding reduction in sample preparation time. To illustrate the application of this technique, a uniformly thin, electron transparent TEM sample of a single, specific, failed transistor is obtained from a 4 mm by 10 mm device array.
authors.affiliation: Materials Technology Department, Intel Corporation, Santa Clara, California 95052.
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Tracy
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gronsky
mesh_terms: D008854:Microscopy, Electron / Q000379:methods*; D013048:Specimen Handling