Thin poly(styrene(210)-b-2-vinylpyridine(200)) and poly(2-vinylpyridine(94)-b-styrene(760)-b-2-vinylpyridine(94)) films spun cast on silicon and annealed at 180 degreesC for 3 days were directly cross sectioned in less than 1 h using the focused ion beam (FIB) lift-out technique. We show that with the FIB procedure, it is possible to produce cross sections that reveal structure near the silicon interface and hence the surface induced phase transitions could be examined and compared quantitatively with theoretical models. Atomic force microscopy, dynamic secondary ion mass spectrometry, and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the films.