Site-specific plan-view TEM lamella preparation of pristine surfaces with a large field of view. Meyer, T., Westphal, T., Kressdorf, B., Ross, U., Jooss, C., & Seibt, M. Ultramicroscopy, 228:113320, 2021.
Site-specific plan-view TEM lamella preparation of pristine surfaces with a large field of view [link]Paper  doi  abstract   bibtex   
Transmission electron microscopy has become a major characterization tool with an ever increasing variety of methods being applied in a wide range of scientific fields. However, the probably most famous pitfall in related workflows is the preparation of high-quality electron-transparent lamellae enabling for extraction of valuable information. Particularly in the field of solid state physics and materials science, it often required to study the surface of a macroscopic specimen with plan-view orientation. Nevertheless, despite tremendous advances in instrumentation, i.e. focused ion beam, the yield of existing plan-view lamellae preparation techniques is relatively low compared to cross-sectional extraction methods. Furthermore, techniques relying on mechanical treatments, i.e. conventional preparation, compromise site-specifity. In this paper, we demonstrate that by combining a mechanical grinding step prior to backside lift-out in the focused ion beam plan-view lamellae preparation becomes increasingly easy. The suggested strategy combines site-specifity with micrometer precision as well as possible investigation of pristine surfaces with a field of view of several hundred square micrometers.
@article{MEYER2021113320,
title = {Site-specific plan-view TEM lamella preparation of pristine surfaces with a large field of view},
journal = {Ultramicroscopy},
volume = {228},
pages = {113320},
year = {2021},
issn = {0304-3991},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ultramic.2021.113320},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304399121001054},
author = {Tobias Meyer and Tobias Westphal and Birte Kressdorf and Ulrich Ross and Christian Jooss and Michael Seibt},
keywords = {TEM, Lamella, Preparation, Plan-view, Site-specific, Field of view},
abstract = {Transmission electron microscopy has become a major characterization tool with an ever increasing variety of methods being applied in a wide range of scientific fields. However, the probably most famous pitfall in related workflows is the preparation of high-quality electron-transparent lamellae enabling for extraction of valuable information. Particularly in the field of solid state physics and materials science, it often required to study the surface of a macroscopic specimen with plan-view orientation. Nevertheless, despite tremendous advances in instrumentation, i.e. focused ion beam, the yield of existing plan-view lamellae preparation techniques is relatively low compared to cross-sectional extraction methods. Furthermore, techniques relying on mechanical treatments, i.e. conventional preparation, compromise site-specifity. In this paper, we demonstrate that by combining a mechanical grinding step prior to backside lift-out in the focused ion beam plan-view lamellae preparation becomes increasingly easy. The suggested strategy combines site-specifity with micrometer precision as well as possible investigation of pristine surfaces with a field of view of several hundred square micrometers.}
}

Downloads: 0