High-precision alignment of electron tomography tilt series using markers formed in helium-ion microscope

•Alignment markers formed by helium ion microscope.•Precision of tomography tilt series alignment was improved.•The markers were applied to a 65 nm diameter via structure.

Tungsten nanodots formed in a helium-ion microscope (HIM) provide a practical means of aligning markers of electron tomography tilt series with a high degree of precision. The nanodots were formed using a HIM equipped with a W(CO)6 gas injection system, enabling the precise placement of the nanodots at desired locations of a sample. Template matching was applied to the markers formed in the HIM to detect the positions automatically. The relation between the positions of the markers and the accuracy of the alignment was also determined in order to achieve precise alignment. The method was applied to the markers in order to reconstruct three-dimensional (3D) images of a rod-shaped specimen that contained a 65-nm-diameter via structure in a Cu/Low-k interconnect.