title: Imaging thin films of nanoporous low-k dielectrics: comparison between ultramicrotomy and focused ion beam preparations for transmission electron microscopy.
abstract: Ultramicrotomy, the technique of cutting nanometers-thin slices of material using a diamond knife, was applied to prepare transmission electron microscope (TEM) specimens of nanoporous poly(methylsilsesquioxane) (PMSSQ) thin films. This technique was compared to focused ion beam (FIB) cross-section preparation to address possible artifacts resulting from deformation of nanoporous microstructure during the sample preparation. It was found that ultramicrotomy is a successful TEM specimen preparation method for nanoporous PMSSQ thin films when combined with low-energy ion milling as a final step. A thick, sacrificial carbon coating was identified as a method of reducing defects from the FIB process which included film shrinkage and pore deformation.
authors.affiliation: IBM Almaden Research Center, 650 Harry Road, San Jose, CA 95120-6099, USA.
authors.forename: Leslie E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Philip M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.forename: Eugene
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Delenia
authors.forename: Victor Y
authors.initials: VY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Phillip J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Brock
authors.forename: Teddie P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Magbitang
authors.forename: Geraud
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dubois
authors.forename: Willi
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Volksen
authors.forename: Robert D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Ho-Cheol
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D016616:Cryoultramicrotomy / Q000379:methods*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007477:Ions; D008853:Microscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron / Q000379:methods*; D053758:Nanoparticles
chemical_list: D007477:Ions