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Lithographic fabrication of transmission electron microscopy cross sections in III–V materials
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1986
Year
Cross SectionEngineeringElectron-beam LithographyMicroscopyElectron MicroscopyBeam LithographyAnisotropic Reactive IonMaterials FabricationIii–v MaterialsMolecular Beam EpitaxyEpitaxial GrowthNanolithography MethodMaterials ScienceLithographic FabricationCrystalline DefectsSemiconductor Device FabricationApplied PhysicsElectron MicroscopeCross Section SpecimensThin Films
A procedure for forming specifically located transmission electron microscopy (TEM) cross section specimens of III–V semiconductor materials is described. By electron-beam lithography in a TEM/STEM followed by a lift-off technique, 40–100 nm wide metal lines were formed on the sample surface. Anisotropic reactive ion etching in a BCl3 and Ar plasma removed the material unprotected by metal lines to leave uniform thickness vertical sections of material. Details of the procedure and the TEM analysis of a sectioned GaAs/AlAs superlattice structure will be described. The ability to form a cross section from a specifically desired region of the sample and the ability to form long uniform sections makes this technique particularly applicable to analysis of devices in brittle semiconductor materials.