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Fast and Simple Specimen Preparation for TEM Studies of Oxide Films Deposited on Silicon Wafers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 January 2009

Valentin S. Teodorescu  and
Marie-Genevieve Blanchin
Valentin S. Teodorescu*
Affiliation:
National Institute of Material Physics, 105 bis Atomistilor Street, P.O. Box Mg-7, R-077125, Bucharest-Măgurele, Romania
Marie-Genevieve Blanchin
Affiliation:
Université Lyon 1, Laboratoire PMCN, CNRS UMR 5586, 69622 Villeurbane Cedex, France
*
Corresponding author. E-mail: teoval@infim.ro
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Abstract

We present a fast and simple method to prepare specimens for transmission electron microscopy studies of oxide thin films deposited on silicon substrates. The method consists of scratching the film surface using a pointed diamond tip, in a special manner. Small and thin fragments are then detached from the film and its substrate. Depending on the scratching direction, the fragments can be used for plan-view or cross-section imaging. High-resolution images can be also obtained from thin edges of the film fragments. The method is demonstrated in the case of HfO2 sol-gel films deposited on [100] Si wafer substrates.

Keywords

specimen preparationtransmission electron microscopythin filmsHfO2
Type
Materials Specimen Preparation
Information
Microscopy and Microanalysis , Volume 15 , Issue 1 , February 2009 , pp. 15 - 19
Copyright
Copyright © Microscopy Society of America 2009

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References

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