Patent ID: 7183123

Claim:
A method of surface preparation and imaging of integrated circuits, comprising the steps of: a) selecting a first substrate having a top side and a bottom side and a thickness; b) cutting an opening in the first substrate, wherein the opening matches the size of an integrated circuit to be analyzed, and wherein the integrated circuit includes a substrate wafer, at least one interconnect, and at least one electronic device; c) selecting a second substrate having a top side and a bottom side and a thickness; d) applying an adhesive film having a bottom side and a top side to the top side of the first substrate, the adhesive film covering the opening in the first substrate, and further having adhesive on both the bottom side and the top side; e) inserting the integrated circuit into the opening in the first substrate such that the substrate water of the integrated circuit and the bottom side of the first substrate are on the same plane; f) attaching the integrated circuit to the bottom side of the adhesive film; g) bonding the first substrate and the integrated circuit to the second substrate; h) thinning the bottom side of the first substrate and the integrated circuit such that the substrate wafer of the integrated circuit is removed; and i) performing an analytical imaging technique on the integrated circuit.