9.3 Slicing
Once the surface is prepared it may be necessary to produce a thin slice of the
sample. This can be also prepared on the instrument.
9.3.1 Front face slicing
Insert cut-off wheel
Switch on the instrument and deactivate the pump (OFF)
Approach the disc using the feed hand wheel. Gently touch just a small
surface corner of the sample with the front face of the disc cutter until a very
small amount of material is removed or you hear a contact noise.
Swivel the E-W arm away from the sample
Clear the advance indication
Advance the spindle to the desired slice thickness plus the thickness of the
disc cutter (should be measured before).
Cut the sample at this location with the disc cutter, either manually or with the
automatic E-W movement.
To avoid the sample becoming damaged when it falls down onto the
protective cover, you can place a wet tissue below the sample. Be careful the
tissue does not touch the spindle as it will wind around it.
Using this technique the minimum thickness of slice can be about 100µm, depending
on the sample material.
9.3.2 Back
face
slicing
Some samples need to be sliced thinner than 100µm and polished on both sides as
well.
The following describes a process to achieve a 20µm double side polished slice of a
gold wire bonding on IC package.
Prepare the first side of the sample as described in chapter 9.2.
Once the first side is prepared remove the sample from the holder
Take the SEM stub or an aluminium rod to support the sample and insert it
in an appropriate holder
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