Sample preparation equipment refers to equipment used for the preparation of physical specimens for subsequent microscopy

Microscopy

Microscopy is the technical field of using microscopes to view samples and objects that cannot be seen with the unaided eye...

 or related disciplines - including failure analysis

Failure analysis

Failure analysis is the process of collecting and analyzing data to determine the cause of a failure. It is an important discipline in many branches of manufacturing industry, such as the electronics industry, where it is a vital tool used in the development of new products and for the improvement...

 and quality control

Quality control

Quality control, or QC for short, is a process by which entities review the quality of all factors involved in production. This approach places an emphasis on three aspects:...

. The equipment includes the following types of machinery:

• Precision cross-sectioning saws
• Precision lapping & polishing machines
• Selected Area Preparation Systems
• Decapsulation machinery (using mechanical, chemical/ 'jet etching' acid, laser and plasma methodologies)
• Focused ion beam
  Focused ion beam
  Focused ion beam, also known as FIB, is a technique used particularly in the semiconductor industry, materials science and increasingly in the biological field for site-specific analysis, deposition, and ablation of materials. An FIB setup is a scientific instrument that resembles a scanning...
  
   (FIB) systems
• Anti-reflective coating
  Anti-reflective coating
  An antireflective or anti-reflection coating is a type of optical coating applied to the surface of lenses and other optical devices to reduce reflection. This improves the efficiency of the system since less light is lost. In complex systems such as a telescope, the reduction in reflections also...
  
  systems
• Dimpling equipment
• Sputter coating equipment
• Carbon and metal evaporation systems

Each of these system types incorporates a wealth of accessories and consumable items which fit the particular system for a specific application.

External links

Article from MATERIALS WORLD Journal discussing the various sample preparation disciplines that allow for failure analysis of electronic materials and components

Article from ULTRA TEC Web-site discussing the backside sample preparation of a packaged electronic device that allow for (through silicon) backside analysis

Article discussing the applications of jet etch equipment