Pulsed Laser Assisted Chemical Etch for analytic surface preparation

Abstract

Pulsed Laser Assisted Chemical Etching (PLACE) is an advanced method of surface preparation for analytic investigations such as: Focused Ion Beam (FIB) circuit edit, Failure Analysis chemical processes (poly-Si etch), Backside SIMS and Optical techniques such as Photoemission Microscopy. PLACE can achieve ultra-high purity and fine dimensional control since it is a dry process relying on pyrolytic vapor phase reactions initiated, and constrained, by a pulsed laser.