The role of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in failure analysis of semiconductor ICs will be discussed. Discussion will include basics of TEM imaging techniques, origin of different image contrast mechanisms, and image interpretation procedures for failure analysis of integrated circuits. A brief review of energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS), electron energy loss spectrometry (EELS), energy filtered imaging and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), and their applications in failure analysis will be presented. Several applications of TEM in failure analysis will be presented using case studies, including silicon defects, gate oxide breakdown, electrically resistive interfaces, foreign particles and stringers