Method for preparing a cross section with a focused ion beam
AssigneeFraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
InventorSusanne Beuer
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Abstract
In a method for preparing a cross section in a substrate, a cut face is created in the substrate with at least one focused ion beam, wherein before and during the creation of the cut face a surface region of the substrate on the edge of the cut face is protected with a hardmask that is made from a doped semiconductor material, provided as a separate part, and positioned on the edge of the cut face with at least one micromanipulator. The method is characterized in that the hardmask is not affixed to the substrate, but instead is held in place with the micromanipulator while the cut face is created. With the method, it is possible to reduce the processing time for creating the cross section and to avoid contamination of the surface by foreign materials in semiconductor manufacturing.
Claims8
A method for preparing a cross section in a substrate (1) with a focused ion beam (2), in which a cut face (3) is created in the substrate (1) with the ion beam (2), wherein a surface region of the substrate (1) on an edge of the cut face (3) is protected before and during creation of the cut face (3) with a hardmask (4) made from a doped semiconductor material, provided as a separate part and positioned on the edge of the cut face (3) with a micromanipulator,
- wherein the hardmask (4) is not affixed to the substrate (1), but is held in place with the micromanipulator during creation of the cut face (3).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.