TEM CROSS-SECTION PREPARATION WITH MINIMAL ION MILLING TIME

The production of high quality thin film TEM cross-sections suitable f or microanalysis is often a difficult and time-consuming task. This is particularly so in cases where there exists a large difference betwee n the sputtering rate of the film and that of the substrate. The probl em is further exacerbated when the levels of internal stress in the fi lm are high enough to cause the substrate to distort during the thinni ng process. This paper describes some modifications to existing techni ques which allow a greater degree of mechanical thinning prior to the ion etching stage. Consequently, ion milling times are drastically red uced, typically by a factor of at least 5 and by as much as 25 in some cases.