A comprehensive and high effective method for TEM sample preparation

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) plays an important role in the structural analysis and characterization of materials for failure analysis in integrated circuit industry as device shrinkage continues. It is well known that a high quality TEM sample is the important factor. When the TEM sample was in preparation for cross-section or plane analysis, curtain effect and positioning are the problems needed to be overcome. In this paper, we will use special models like “H type” and “Triangular type” to overcome these problems. In the cross section analysis, we used H-type to reverse the sample and reduce the sample damage caused by the curtain effect. Manual grinding method is commonly used in plane TEM sample. However, this method for the sample positioning and sample preparation is indeed considerably difficult. Plane view TEM sample prepared by using a combination of focus ion beam (FIB) and “Triangular type” can easily solve these problems. As we know, a completed presentation of the abnormal mode is important to TEM analysis. The secondary TEM preparation method will also be described in this paper. With the above methods, we have designed a complete TEM preparation, process which can solve the problems of TEM sample preparation.