Scientific Papers and Articles on the microPREP® Family and Laser-Based Sample Preparation

Over the past few years, several scientific papers and articles have been published that explore laser-based specimen preparation techniques and showcase the capabilities of 3D-Micromac’s sample preparation tools from the microPREP family. This list includes our own publications as well as papers from scientists who have used the microPREP machines to accomplish their analytical objectives. Please don’t hesitate to contact us for further information.

Focus: Alternative way to fabricate half grids directly from the material to be investigated using femtosecond (fs)-laser ablation

Published in: Materials Today Communications, Volume 39, June 2024, 108672

Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352492824006536?dgcid=rss_sd_all

Focus: Reporting technological advancements in laser-based sample preparation.

Published in: Microscopy & Analysis 2024/02

Link: https://analyticalscience.wiley.com/content/article-do/laser-technology-speeds-up-sample-preparation-processes

Focus: Sharing a new workflow for failure analysis of microelectronic devices

Published in: Proceedings of ISTFA 2021

Link: https://doi.org/10.31399/asm.cp.istfa2021p0283

Focus: Three novel workflows for sample preparation using ultra-short pulsed lasers are presented, which allow for reproducible fabrication, safe extraction, and mounting of samples

Published in: Journal of Microscopy, Volume289, Issue1, January 2023

Link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jmi.13147

Focus:  Semiconductor workflows for preparing a large solder ball cross-sectioning and polishing, a deep MEMS cross-sectioning and polishing, as well as removing the MEMS silicon cap and accessing underlying structures

Published in: Proceedings of the  IEEE International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits (IPFA 2020)

Link: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9260751

Focus: APT coupons with microtip arrays processed via fs-laser ablation

Published in: Ultramicroscopy, Volume 246

Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304399122001917

Focus: Laser-based preparation TEM lamellas (H-Bar) and multiple APT tips or pillars

Published in: Microscopy Today, Volume 27, Issue 6

Link: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1551929519001020

Focus: Study of damage caused during laser-based sample preparation in pure aluminum and phosphorous doped silicon wafers

Published in: Ultramicroscopy, Volume 220

Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ultramic.2020.113161

Focus: Developing a straightforward approach to produce arrays of micro-holes in a commercially available RO membrane employing nanosecond pulsed laser ablation

Published in: MethodsX, Volume 7, 2020, 100830

Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2215016120300509

Focus: Two glass compositions with a combination of antimony and silver as well as antimony, tin, and silver were studied and very different pore sizes, homogeneously distributed over the sample volume, were obtained

Published in: CrystEngComm, 2020, 22, Issue 12

Link: https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2020/ce/d0ce00019a

Focus: Selected results of new techniques including GHz Scanning Acoustic Microscopy, various laser techniques, as well as sample preparation using focused ion beam techniques and Raman-based stress characterization

Published in: MikroSystemTechnik 2019; Congress

Link: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9012780

Focus: CRUD build-up increased following a power law with the fluid velocity

Published in: Corrosion Science, Volume 168, 15 May 2020, 108588

Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010938X19326320

Focus: First evaluation of the Laser damage zone in Si-wafer, machined by microPREP

Published in: Microsc. Microanal. 24 (Suppl 1), 2018

Link: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326869705_An_Evaluation_of_Beam-Damage_Zone_in_Si_Wafer_Machined_by_Gatan_MicroPREPTM_Laser-Ablation

Focus: Novel method for rapid and localized surface erosion which combines laser-machining preprocessing with broad ion beam etching. Preliminary studies of the method on bulk samples are reported

Published in: Micron, Volume 107, April 2018, Pages 35-42

Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0968432817302688

Focus: The paper focuses on a feasibility study for different measurement parameters and proposes an advanced FA flow including newly-developed sample I preparation based on ps-laser excitation

Published in: 2017 IEEE 24th International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits (IPFA)

Link: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/8060174/similar#similar

Focus: microPREP™ – capable of making fast, clean, and efficient laser ablation available for the preparation of samples for transmission electron microscopy (TEM)

Published in: ISTFA 2014: Conference Proceedings from the 40th International Symposium for Testing and Failure Analysis

Link: https://dl.asminternational.org/istfa/proceedings-abstract/ISTFA2014/30927/261/10089

Focus: Novel laser micromachining method for transparent materials using ultra-short pulsed lasers

Published in: Lasers in Manufacturing Conference 2015

Link: https://www.wlt.de/lim/Proceedings2015/Stick/PDF/Contribution192_final.pdf

Focus: microPREP as the first instrument to make fast, clean, and efficient laser ablation available for the preparation of samples for microstructure diagnostics

Published in: LASERTECHNIKJOURNAL, Volume 12, Issue 1, January 2015

Link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/latj.201500002

Focus: Different types of materials and their behavior during laser polishing with ultrashort pulsed lasers are experimentally investigated using different scanning techniques

Published in: Microscopy and Microanalysis, Volume 29, Issue Supplement_1, 1 August 2023

Link: https://academic.oup.com/mam/article/29/Supplement_1/551/7228564

Focus: microPREP as the first instrument to make fast, clean, and efficient laser ablation available for the preparation of samples for microstructure diagnostics

Published in: Proceedings Volume 9736, Laser-based Micro- and Nanoprocessing X; 97360C (2016)

Link: https://www.spiedigitallibrary.org/conference-proceedings-of-spie/9736/97360C/microPREP–a-new-laser-tool-for-high-volume-sample/10.1117/12.2212444.short

Focus: The effect of water flow velocity and dissolved hydrogen on the deposition rate of Corrosion-Related Unidentified Deposit (CRUD)

Published in: Corrosion Science, Volume 159, October 2019, 108113

Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010938X19301933?via%3Dihub