Experience with a Dicing Saw for Rapid Pre-FIB TEM Sample Preparation

Since the publication of the use of a dicing saw for TEM sample preparation, several analytical labs have adopted this method as standard practice for site-specific cross section and plan view samples. In this article, we would like to provide additional practical details of these procedures, and describe several extensions, including useful notes on batch processing, preparing samples with an area of interest very close to the sample edge, and a Focused Ion Beam (FIB)-compatible sample holder. We present an unusual amount of detail in these processes to show some of the evolution of the method since its introduction and to allow others to easily reproduce these results.