Simple Plan View Specimen Preparation Technique For Tem Investigation Of Semiconductors and Metals

1987 ◽  
Vol 115 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. De Veirman ◽  
J. Eysermans ◽  
H. Bender ◽  
J. Vanhellemont ◽  
J. Van Landuyt
Keyword(s):  
Silicon Layer ◽  
Silicon On Insulator ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
Preparation Technique ◽  
Plan View ◽  
Expensive Equipment

ABSTRACTThis paper discusses a rapid and simple specimen preparation technique which was originally developed for plan view TEM investigation of processed silicon, but which afterwards was modified for the study of GaAs, Al/Al2O3 and Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) structures. The major advantage of this poor man's method is that no specialised nor expensive equipment is needed.A second technique is also described which is used in the case of unseeded SOI structures where the analysis of the top silicon layer is important.

TEM FIB Lift-Out of Mount Saint Helens Volcanic Ash

1999 ◽  
Vol 5 (S2) ◽  
pp. 908-909
Author(s):  
J.L. Drown-MacDonald ◽  
B.I. Prenitzer ◽  
T.L. Shofner ◽  
L.A. Giannuzzi
Keyword(s):  
Cross Sections ◽  
Volcanic Ash ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
Preparation Technique ◽  
Tem Analysis ◽  
Plan View ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Silver Paint

Focused Ion Beam (FIB) specimen preparation for both scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM respectively) has seen an increase in usage over the past few years. The advantage to the FIB is that site specific cross sections (or plan view sections) may be fabricated quickly and reproducibly from numerous types of materials using a finely focused beam of Ga+ ions [1,2]. It was demonstrated by Prenitzer et al. that TEM specimens may be acquired from individual Zn powder particles by employing the FIB LO specimen preparation technique [3]. In this paper, we use the FIB LO technique to prepare TEM specimens from Mount Saint Helens volcanic ash.Volcanic ash from Mount Saint Helens was obtained at the Microscopy and Microanalysis 1998 meeting in Atlanta. TEM analysis of the ash was performed using the FIB lift out technique [1]. Ash powders were dusted onto an SEM sample stud that had been coated with silver paint.

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.

The Microstructure of Silicon-on-Insulator Structures Formed by High Dose Oxygen Ion Implantation

1981 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.F. Pinizzotto ◽  
B.L. Vaandrager ◽  
H.W. Lam
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Dislocation Density ◽  
Ion Implantation ◽  
Silicon Layer ◽  
Silicon On Insulator ◽  
High Dose ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Plan View ◽  
Oxygen Ion ◽  
Oxygen Ion Implantation

ABSTRACTCross-sectional and plan view transmission electron microscopy and high resolution scanning electron microscopy have been used to characterize the microstructure of silicon-on-insulator formed by high dose oxygen ion implantation. The complete microstructure was observed to be composed of a series of distinct zones. The top silicon layer was {100} single crystal with a very low dislocation density. The second layer was a mixture of fine grained polysilicon and amorphous SiO2. The third layer was pure SiO2 , followed by a second mixed layer. Finally, there was a layer of {100} silicon with an extremely high dislocation density. Some of the dislocations extended as far as 1 μm into the Si substrate. The relative widths of the layers were found to depend on the total ion fluence. The oxide layer did not occur for low doses and the two mixed layers merged into one zone. At high doses, the silicon-silicon dioxide interfaces are abrupt due to internal oxidation.

Origin of the defect structures in oxygen-implanted silicon-on-insulator material

1993 ◽  
Vol 51 ◽  
pp. 1108-1109
Author(s):  
D. Venables ◽  
S.J. Krause ◽  
J.D. Lee ◽  
J.C. Park ◽  
P. Roitman
Keyword(s):  
High Temperature ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Silicon Layer ◽  
Dark Field ◽  
Silicon On Insulator ◽  
High Dose ◽  
Defect Structures ◽  
Plan View ◽  
High Temperature Anneal ◽  
Single Oxygen

Silicon-on-insulator material fabricated by high-dose oxygen implantation (known as SIMOX) has been used for high speed and radiation hard devices and is under consideration for use in low power applications. However, a continuing problem has been crystalline defects in the top silicon layer. SIMOX is fabricated by two distinct methods: a single oxygen implant to a dose of 1.8×l018 cm-2 followed by a high-temperature anneal (≥1300°C, 4-6 hr) or by multiple lower dose implants (∼6×l017 cm-2) with high-temperature anneals after each implant. To date, there has been no systematic comparison of the defect structures produced by these two fabrication methods. Therefore, we have compared the defect structure and densities in multiple vs. single implant wafers. In this paper we describe the origin and characteristics of the defect structures in SIMOX and show how their densities are controlled by the processing method and conditions.Silicon (100) wafers were implanted in a high current implanter at ∼620°C to doses of 1.8×l018 or 0.6/0.6/0.6×l018 cm-2 and annealed at 1325°C, 4 hr in 0.5% or 5% O2 in Ar. Cross-section (XTEM) and plan-view (PTEM) samples were studied with bright field and weak beam dark field techniques in a transmission electron microscope operating at 200 keV.

Revisiting the FIB TEM Lift-Out Specimen Preparation Technique

2000 ◽  
Vol 6 (S2) ◽  
pp. 508-509
Author(s):  
L. A. Giannuzzi ◽  
F. A. Stevie
Keyword(s):  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Subsequent Development ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
Preparation Technique ◽  
Tem Analysis ◽  
Plan View ◽  
Geological Materials ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Primary Advantage

In recent years, the focused ion beam (FIB) instrument has developed into a mainstay tool for the production of specimens for both scanning and transmission electron microscopy ((S)TEM). The inception and subsequent development of the FIB TEM lift-out (LO) technique has enabled electron transparent membranes of generally uniform thickness to be produced for TEM analysis. In general, the primary advantage of the FIB is that site specific sections may be fabricated quickly (e.g., < 1 hour) and reproducibly. Specifically, the FIB LO technique has been used extensively in our laboratories to produce on the order of a thousand Si-based specimens per year and hundreds of other specimens per year that have included metals, ceramics, composites, biological materials, geological materials, polymers, particles, and fibers, prepared in cross-section, plan view, and from fracture surfaces.

Contrast from epitaxially sandwiched macromolecules

1978 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 226-227
Author(s):  
M. Talianker ◽  
D.G. Brandon
Keyword(s):  
Gold Film ◽  
Lattice Defect ◽  
Gold Foil ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
Preparation Technique ◽  
Resolution Limit ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Crystal Lattice Defect ◽  
Void Effect ◽  
Lattice Resolution

A new specimen preparation technique for visualizing macromolecules by conventional transmission electron microscopy has been developed. In this technique the biopolymer-molecule is embedded in a thin monocrystalline gold foil. Such embedding can be performed in the following way: the biopolymer is deposited on an epitaxially-grown thin single-crystal gold film. The molecule is then occluded by further epitaxial growth. In such an epitaxial sandwich an occluded molecule is expected to behave as a crystal-lattice defect and give rise to contrast in the electron microscope.The resolution of the method should be limited only by the precision with which the epitaxially grown gold reflects the details of the molecular structure and, in favorable cases, can approach the lattice resolution limit.In order to estimate the strength of the contrast due to the void-effect arising from occlusion of the DNA-molecule in a gold crystal some calculations were performed.

The ionic strength dependence of chromatin folding

1978 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 220-221
Author(s):  
F. Thoma ◽  
TH. Koller
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Electron Microscope ◽  
Ionic Strength ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
Preparation Technique ◽  
Carbon Supports ◽  
Ionic Strength Dependence ◽  
Chromatin Folding ◽  
Strength Dependence ◽  
Preparation Techniques

Under a variety of electron microscope specimen preparation techniques different forms of chromatin appearance can be distinguished: beads-on-a-string, a 100 Å nucleofilament, a 250 Å fiber and a compact 300 to 500 Å fiber.Using a standardized specimen preparation technique we wanted to find out whether there is any relation between these different forms of chromatin or not. We show that with increasing ionic strength a chromatin fiber consisting of a row of nucleo- somes progressively folds up into a solenoid-like structure with a diameter of about 300 Å.For the preparation of chromatin for electron microscopy the avoidance of stretching artifacts during adsorption to the carbon supports is of utmost importance. The samples are fixed with 0.1% glutaraldehyde at 4°C for at least 12 hrs. The material was usually examined between 24 and 48 hrs after the onset of fixation.

SEM evaluation of the TEM cold-stage double-film specimen

1984 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
pp. 272-273
Author(s):  
Jayesh Bellare
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Sample Preparation ◽  
Sample Thickness ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
Preparation Technique ◽  
Liquid Sample ◽  
Thin Specimen ◽  
Sample Preparation Technique ◽  
Cold Stage ◽  
Film Specimen

Seeing is believing, but only after the sample preparation technique has received a systematic study and a full record is made of the treatment the sample gets.For microstructured liquids and suspensions, fast-freeze thermal fixation and cold-stage microscopy is perhaps the least artifact-laden technique. In the double-film specimen preparation technique, a layer of liquid sample is trapped between 100- and 400-mesh polymer (polyimide, PI) coated grids. Blotting against filter paper drains excess liquid and provides a thin specimen, which is fast-frozen by plunging into liquid nitrogen. This frozen sandwich (Fig. 1) is mounted in a cooling holder and viewed in TEM.Though extremely promising for visualization of liquid microstructures, this double-film technique suffers from a) ireproducibility and nonuniformity of sample thickness, b) low yield of imageable grid squares and c) nonuniform spatial distribution of particulates, which results in fewer being imaged.

Ultramicrotomy as a Technique for Materials Specimen Preparation

1990 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 428-429
Author(s):  
S.R. Glanvill
Keyword(s):  
Materials Science ◽  
Structural Information ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
Preparation Technique ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Surfaces And Interfaces ◽  
Beam Analysis ◽  
Flat Embedding ◽  
20 Nm ◽  
Sectional Analysis

This paper summarizes the application of ultramicrotomy as a specimen preparation technique for some of the Materials Science applications encountered over the past two years. Specimens 20 nm thick by hundreds of μm lateral dimension are readily prepared for electron beam analysis. Materials examined include metals, plastics, ceramics, superconductors, glassy carbons and semiconductors. We have obtain chemical and structural information from these materials using HRTEM, CBED, EDX and EELS analysis. This technique has enabled cross-sectional analysis of surfaces and interfaces of engineering materials and solid state electronic devices, as well as interdiffusion studies across adjacent layers.Samples are embedded in flat embedding moulds with Epon 812 epoxy resin / Methyl Nadic Anhydride mixture, using DY064 accelerator to promote the reaction. The embedded material is vacuum processed to remove trapped air bubbles, thereby improving the strength and sectioning qualities of the cured block. The resin mixture is cured at 60 °C for a period of 80 hr and left to equilibrate at room temperature.

Analysis of Silicon-On-Insulator Structures Formed By Oxygen Ion Implantation

1985 ◽  
Vol 43 ◽  
pp. 300-301
Author(s):  
N. Lewis ◽  
E. L. Hall ◽  
A. Mogro-Campero ◽  
R. P. Love
Keyword(s):  
Ion Implantation ◽  
Single Crystal ◽  
Single Crystal Silicon ◽  
Silicon Layer ◽  
Device Fabrication ◽  
Silicon On Insulator ◽  
High Dose ◽  
Crystal Silicon ◽  
Oxygen Ion ◽  
Oxygen Ion Implantation

The formation of buried oxide structures in single crystal silicon by high-dose oxygen ion implantation has received considerable attention recently for applications in advanced electronic device fabrication. This process is performed in a vacuum, and under the proper implantation conditions results in a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) structure with a top single crystal silicon layer on an amorphous silicon dioxide layer. The top Si layer has the same orientation as the silicon substrate. The quality of the outermost portion of the Si top layer is important in device fabrication since it either can be used directly to build devices, or epitaxial Si may be grown on this layer. Therefore, careful characterization of the results of the ion implantation process is essential.

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