The effect of shave‐off scanning at a fabricated section by focused ion beam

Three‐dimensional microanalysis for a minute structure that consists of organic compounds and polymers is important to develop and to practically use the method to analyze a micronanometer order area. However, it is difficult because of the insulating nature of the material, need of structural analysis and a dose limit not to destruct surface organic structure (static limit). We developed a novel three‐dimensional microanalysis method by means of focused ion beam (FIB) for section processing (shave‐off scanning) and ToF‐SIMS for mapping method. For the purpose of realization of three‐dimensional microanalysis and a chemical and structural analysis of the organic matter, a polymer destruction of fabricated section by shave‐off scanning was examined. To determine spectrum changing, polystyrene was fabricated as a function of dose time by shave‐off scanning, and these samples were analyzed by ToF‐SIMS. As a result, a flat surface was made along with shave‐off scanning time, and a surface organic structure fabricated by FIB was detected with a certain rate. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.