Preparation of Large-area Electron-transparent Samples from Silicon Devices

A technique using a pulsating chemical jet has been developed for thinning and polishing large areas (750 to 1000 µm in diameter) of silicon devices. The thickness can be reduced to a few micrometers. This technique has been used to prepare bipolar and FET samples for transmission electron microscopy. Physical characterization of more than twenty devices can be achieved by one sample preparation.