Abstract
A small‐angle cleavage technique has been developed that produces superior transmission electron microscope (TEM) samples of semiconductors and related materials. The technique involves back‐thinning the sample to approximately 100 μm, then scribing a groove on this back face at a specified small angle to a standard cleavage plane. The sample is cleaved along this scribe line followed by cleaving along the standard cleavage plane to produce a thin wedged sample. Samples prepared by this method are characterized and compared with conventional and low‐angle ion milled samples. The technique is illustrated, and the characteristic geometry of the cleaved sample is explained in terms of a simplified cleavage model.

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