TEM preparation by "low voltage" FIB

The most common method used for target preparation of electron-transparent cross-sections in the field of semiconductor technology is the preparation by focused Gal ion beams (FIB). As shown in the example of Si and GaAs, specimen surface damages can be reduced by decreasing the acceleration voltage of the ion beam from 30 kV to 2 kV, the so-called "low voltage" mode. Caused by the continuous development, the imaging performance of ion sources has increased rapidly and allows good images even at low voltages. Therefore low voltage polishing of electron transparent TEM - lamellas becomes more and more a practicable method to reduce preparation artefacts.