ABSTRACT
Focused ion beam (FIB) millers are increasingly used to prepare transmission electron microscope (TEM) specimens from device materials. However, the gallium ion beam may create several types of artefacts in the specimen. This chapter describes the nature and origin of damage layers in TEM specimens prepared from germanium via FIB. These layers include voids, localised crystalline areas and implanted gallium. The high density of point defects that is generated in germanium following interaction with the beam influences the formation of these defects. However, it is known that ion implantation of germanium leads to the development of a number of artefacts such as voids, and the development of distinct cellular structures. The controlled mills have been performed on a single crystal of germanium using a range of milling conditions. TEM cross-sections have been prepared through these mills. The extent and type of the damage layers created has been characterised.
