Method of preparing a sample for microstructure diagnostics, and sample for microstructure diagnostics

A method of preparing a sample for microstructure diagnostics, wherein a sample body with a predeterminable form is prepared from a substrate by way of material-ablating laser beam processing and subsequently a target portion of the sample body is further processed by laser beam processing and/or ion beam processing to expose a target volume suitable for a microstructure examination, comprising:

• (a) releasing the sample body from the substrate by at least one laser processing operation by radiating-in at least one laser beam in a manner perpendicular and/or oblique to a substrate surface such that a sample body arises, said sample body being delimited at a sample body top side by a region of the substrate surface and, laterally, by side faces oriented in an oblique or perpendicular manner in relation to the substrate surface,
• wherein 1) a form of the sample body is generated, which form has at least one solid handling portion and, adjoining the handling portion, a target portion thinner relative to the handling portion, said target portion being delimited at a narrow side by the sample body top side and, laterally, by side faces extending in a perpendicular or oblique manner in relation to the sample body top side, and 2) the sample body is designed such that an interior angle arises between the target portion and an adjoining handling portion, with a side face of the target portion and a side face of the handling portion intersecting at an angle at the interior angle;
• (b) producing a sample body holder separate from the sample body and having accommodation structures adapted to the form of the sample body for the purposes of accommodating the sample body in a defined accommodation position;
• (c) removing the sample body that was released from the substrate;
• (d) affixing the sample body removed from the substrate directly to the accommodation structures of the sample body holder, wherein a defined area contact is generated at two faces at an angle in relation to one another at the interior angle such that the position of the sample body in respect of the sample body holder is set in at least two mutually perpendicular directions;
• (e) carrying out at least one further material-ablating processing step of at least one side face of the sample body in the region of the target portion by laser beam processing and/or ion beam processing to expose the target volume.

A sample for microstructure diagnostics comprising;

• a sample body holder with accommodation structures to accommodate a sample body in a defined accommodation position;
• and
• at least one sample body produced separately from the sample body holder, said sample body having 1) at least one solid handling portion and, adjoining the handling portion, a target portion thinner relative to the handling portion, said target portion being delimited at a narrow side by a sample body top side and, laterally, by side faces extending in a perpendicular or oblique manner in relation to the sample body top side, and 2) an interior angle that arises between the target portion and an adjoining handling portion, with a side face of the target portion and a side face of the handling portion intersecting at an angle at the interior angle;
• with the sample body being affixed directly to the accommodation structures in the accommodation position, wherein a defined area contact is generated at two faces at an angle in relation to one another at the interior angle such that the position of the sample body in respect of the sample body holder is set in at least two mutually perpendicular directions.

A method of preparing a sample for microstructure diagnostics, wherein a sample body with a predeterminable form is prepared from a substrate by way of material-ablating laser beam processing and subsequently a target portion of the sample body is further processed by laser beam processing and/or ion beam processing to expose a target volume suitable for a microstructure examination, comprising:

• (a) releasing the sample body from the substrate by at least one laser processing operation by radiating-in at least one laser beam in a manner perpendicular and/or oblique to a substrate surface such that a sample body arises, said sample body being delimited at a sample body top side by a region of the substrate surface and, laterally, by side faces oriented in an oblique or perpendicular manner in relation to the substrate surface,
• wherein a form of the sample body is generated, which form has at least one solid handling portion comprising a thickness of at least 100 μm in in at least direction parallel to the sample body top side and, adjoining the handling portion, a target portion thinner relative to the handling portion, said target portion being delimited at a narrow side by the sample body top side and, laterally, by side faces extending in a perpendicular or oblique manner in relation to the sample body top side;
• (b) producing a sample body holder separate front the sample body and having accommodation structures adapted to the form of the sample body for the purposes of accommodating the sample body in a defined accommodation position;
• (c) removing the sample body that was released from the substrate with tweezers or other gripper instrument and transferring the sample body to the sample body holder in an ambient atmosphere;
• (d) affixing the sample body removed from the substrate directly to the accommodation structures of the sample body holder;
• (e) carrying out at least one further material-ablating processing step of at least one side face of the sample body in the region of the target portion by laser beam processing and/or ion beam processing to expose the target volume.