J. J. Demarest, IBM, Albany, NY; Z. DeSouza, FEI, Hillsboro, OR

Summary: In the fall of last year a FEI1 DA 300 dual beam focused ion beam (DBFIB) was installed at Albany Nanotech in Albany, NY. This instrument’s purpose is to make scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) or transmission electron microscope (TEM) samples in a highly automated fashion as well as automatic navigation to defects based on KLARF data and subsequent cross sectioning and imaging of those defects. This paper deals primarily with the difficulties and subsequent solutions to STEM sample preparation. Approximately twenty major challenges were encountered spanning hardware, software, and material sample preparation. Some of these issues will be highlighted along with their resolutions.