Preparation of metallized GaN/sapphire cross sections for TEM analysis using wedge polishing

Abstract

The tripod polisher has been used successfully in the past, in the preparation of difficult Si-based TEM cross-section specimens. Good TEM specimens, with large electron transparent areas, can be prepared in a relatively short time. In addition, wedge polishing considerably reduces the ion milling time because of the thinness of the final specimen. For metallized GaN on sapphire substrates, there are problems not inherent to Si-based materials: (1) sapphire is a difficult material to thin due to its high hardness and its mechanical instability when thinned below 20μm; (2) delamination of metal layers from the GaN can occur during polishing and/or ion milling; (3) markedly different ion milling rates for the metals and semiconductors. In this paper, wedge polishing has been modified to make it suitable for preparation of metallized GaN/sapphire samples or other metallized semiconductors and ceramics for TEM analysis. Using this method, TEM cross section specimens can be prepared with reasonably large thin areas.