Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) Sample Preparation

Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) utilizes electron transparent samples to perform nanoscale analysis down to the atomic level. To achieve this samples must be prepared and thinned so their thickness is uniform across the area of interest, less than 100 nm and free from contamination.

In this tutorial, we discuss the different approaches to TEM sample preparation. We highlight the advantages and disadvantages of the most common preparation techniques, providing useful hints and tips along the way. Finally, this tutorial details a standard TEM lift out approach using the OmniProbe.

You will learn:

• Why TEM requires thin samples and how they are prepared
• About a range of TEM sample preparation techniques and how they can be applied to different sample types
• How to prepare a TEM lift-out using a FIB-SEM