The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 17, 1999
Filed:
Sep. 11, 1997
Applicant:
Inventors:
Yih-Yuh Doong, Kaohsiung, TW;
Yong-Fen Hsieh, Hsinchu, TW;
Assignee:
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01R / ; H01L / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
438 14 ; 438 22 ; 438 48 ;
Abstract
A method of forming precisely cross-sectioned electron-transparent samples, includes removing, from a wafer, a chip containing a desired viewing site for analysis. At least one metallic mask is formed on a surface of the chip and over the viewing site using a focused ion beam microscope. Using a reactive ion etching technique, the chip is etched in a direction essentially perpendicular to the surface of the chip to form a thin viewing surface under the metallic mask. The thickness of the thin viewing surface is further reduced using a focused ion beam milling technique, to form an extremely thin electron-transparent sample.