Several common cross sectioning techniques are mechanical sections, cleaved sections, and FIB prepared sections.

A mechanical section is accomplished by grinding and polishing an IC, PCB, or other device to the region of interest. Typically, this technique gives the best image quality for high resolution SEM imaging. We have seven (7) variable speed polishing stations that are used for mechanical cross sectioning.

A hand cleave section is performed by breaking a wafer along it’s crystallographic plane. The technique is quick and produces a relatively good surface for photography. The disadvantage is that it is difficult to control the break plane and therefore much tougher to section a specific site.

The FIB section is completed using a focused ion beam to cut a profile into a specific site of interest. The technique can produce precise and repeatable sections: but generally, because the sample is milled using heavy gallium ions, the milled plane image can be rougher than other sectioning techniques.