Attachment of nano-objects to beam-deposited structures

A method of attaching nano-objects to a sample substrate, comprising:

• providing a deposition precursor at the surface of the substrate located within the vacuum chamber of a charged particle beam apparatus;
• directing a beam towards the substrate, the beam decomposing the deposition precursor to form a deposit on the surface of the substrate at positions impacted by the beam;
• processing the sample to provide linker groups on the surface of the deposit;
• and
• processing the sample to chemically bond nano-objects to the linker groups, wherein the processing is performed using a charged particle beam and a precursor gas mixture comprised of a deposition precursor gas and a linker precursor gas.