CROSS-SECTIONAL TEM SAMPLE PREPARATION OF THIN FILMS

Cross-sectional TEM observation can be used as a very useful method in the investigation of microstructure of thin films. However, the sample preparation for cross-sectional TEM observation is generally regarded as a challenging task. In this paper, we discussed the preparation of TEM cross-sectional samples in a step-by-step approach designed to enable a competent experimentalist to reproduce the technique. An example from VN/SiO2 superlattice is discussed correspondingly.