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MM: Fachverband Metall- und Materialphysik

MM 17: Topical Session TEM V

MM 17.5: Talk

Tuesday, March 15, 2011, 15:15–15:30, IFW A

Site and orientation specific FIB preparation technique for TEM investigation of individual nanostructures, organic thin films and sensitive materials — •Benito Fernando Vieweg and Erdmann Spiecker — CENEM, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg

Sample preparation is a crucial step for analytical and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM). While conventional techniques, like mechanical thinning followed by low-voltage Ar ion beam milling, have been optimized for preparation of high-quality samples, there are many challenges which cannot be addressed by these techniques. For instance, TEM investigation of individual anisotropic nanostructures in a predefined cross-section orientation requires site and orientation specific preparation which can only be addressed by focused ion beam (FIB) techniques. Common techniques (H-bar, lift-out) require a protective coating, which may alter the surface and degrade the observation of the nanostructure during FIB milling. Sensitive materials like organic thin films or biological materials may as well be altered by the protective coating and are furthermore sensitive to the Ga ion beam. Cross sections of such materials or devices are indispensable for chemical and microstructural analysis, however.

In this contribution an advanced FIB-preparation method is presented which does not require the deposition of a protective coating and furthermore minimizes the impact of the Ga ion beam on the material. Various applications will be presented, including the cross-sectioning of metal nanorods, organic thin film devices and scales of butterfly wings and their investigation by analytical and high-resolution TEM.