Method for sample orientation for TEM lamella preparation

An apparatus, comprising:

• a tilt stage;
• a specimen mount coupled to the tilt stage and situated to secure a specimen;
• an electron beam source situated to direct an electron beam to the specimen;
• an electron beam detector situated to receive portions of the electron beam backscattered from the specimen;
• and
• a controller coupled to at least one of the tilt stage or the electron beam source so as to:
• vary an angle of incidence of the electron beam with respect to the specimen,
• process the detected portions of the electron beam to produce an electron channeling pattern, and
• determine a tilt of the specimen based on the electron channeling pattern.

One or more computer readable media having defined therein processor-executable instructions for performing a method comprising:

• directing an electron beam to a substrate so as to be incident to the substrate at a plurality of plurality of angles of incidence and obtaining associated backscattered electron beam intensities;
• processing the backscattered electron beam intensities to produce an electron channeling pattern (ECP);
• and
• based on the ECP, aligning the substrate with respect to an ion beam axis.