Sample preparation by focused ion beam micromachining for transmission electron microscopy imaging in front-view

Michael Jublot; Michael Texier

doi:10.1016/j.micron.2013.10.007

Sample preparation by focused ion beam micromachining for transmission electron microscopy imaging in front-view

Micron. 2014 Jan:56:63-7. doi: 10.1016/j.micron.2013.10.007. Epub 2013 Oct 19.

Authors

Michael Jublot¹, Michael Texier

Affiliation

¹ CP2M, Aix Marseille Université, av. Escadrille Normandie Niémen, F13397 Marseille, France. Electronic address: michael.jublot@cea.fr.

PMID: 24200984
DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2013.10.007

Abstract

This article deals with the development of an original sample preparation method for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) using focused ion beam (FIB) micromachining. The described method rests on the use of a removable protective shield to prevent the damaging of the sample surface during the FIB lamellae micromachining. It enables the production of thin TEM specimens that are suitable for plan view TEM imaging and analysis of the sample surface, without the deposition of a capping layer. This method is applied to an indented silicon carbide sample for which TEM analyses are presented to illustrate the potentiality of this sample preparation method.

Keywords: Damaging; FIB; Front-view; Lamella; TEM.