# US 12,007,339 B2 · Sample holder, system and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,007,339 B2 - Document ID: US12007339B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/470,661 - Filed: 2021-09-09 - Published: 2021-12-30 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2019-03-20 - Assignees: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH - Applicants: Carl Zeiss SMT Inc. - Inventors: Thomas Anthony Case; Susan Candell; Naomi Kotwal; Allen Gu; Zheren Wu; Wayne Broderick - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12007339B2 ## CPC - G01N 23/04: and forming images of the material - G01N 23/083: the radiation being X-rays - G01N 2223/307: cuvettes-sample holders - G01N 2223/309: support of sample holder - G01N 2223/6113: printed circuit board [PCB] - G01N 2223/6462: microdefects - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract A sample holder for holding a sample during an X-ray imaging process includes a sample placement surface on which the sample is placed for positioning the sample in a depth direction of the sample holder. The sample holder also includes a first alignment portion for aligning the sample in a width direction of the sample holder, and a second alignment portion for aligning the sample in a height direction of the sample holder. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sample holder, comprising: a sample placement surface configured to support a sample to position the sample in a first direction of the sample holder; a first alignment portion configured to align the sample in a second direction of the sample holder; a second alignment portion configured to align the sample in a third direction of the sample holder; a first hook portion; and a fixing element hooked into the first hook portion, the fixing element configured to press the sample against: i) the sample placement surface; ii) the first alignment portion; and iii) the second alignment portion, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction, the first direction is perpendicular to the third direction, and the second direction is perpendicular to the third direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sample holder of claim 1, wherein: the first alignment portion is perpendicular to the sample placement surface; the second alignment portion is perpendicular to the sample placement surface; and the second alignment portion is perpendicular to the first alignment portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The sample holder of claim 1, further comprising a cut-out at an intersection of the first and second alignment portions. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The sample holder of claim 1, wherein the fixing element extends diagonally over the sample placement surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The sample holder of claim 1, wherein the fixing element comprises a flexible and radiation-stable material. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The sample holder of claim 1, wherein the fixing element comprises ethylene propylene diene methylene rubber. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The sample holder of claim 1, further comprising a second hook portion, wherein the fixing element is hooked into the second hook portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The sample holder of claim 7, wherein the sample placement surface is between the first and second hook portions. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The sample holder of claim 8, further comprising a rear surface opposite the sample placement surface, wherein the first hook portion comprises a notch in the rear surface to receive the fixing element, and the second hook portion comprises a notch in the rear surface to receive the fixing element. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The sample holder of claim 9, wherein the first hook portion is flush with the sample placement surface, and the second hook portion protrudes from the sample placement surface in the first direction. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The sample holder of claim 7, further comprising a rear surface opposite the sample placement surface, wherein the first hook portion comprises a notch in the rear surface to receive the fixing element, and the second hook portion comprises a notch in the rear surface to receive the fixing element. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The sample holder of claim 11, wherein the first hook portion is flush with the sample placement surface, and the second hook portion protrudes from the sample placement surface in the first direction. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The sample holder of claim 7, wherein the first hook portion is flush with the sample placement surface, and the second hook portion protrudes from the sample placement surface in the first direction. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The sample holder of claim 1, further comprising a sample receptacle comprising a plurality of sample receiving sections, wherein each sample receiving section comprises a sample placement surface, a first alignment portion and a second alignment portion. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The sample holder of claim 14, wherein the sample receptacle is integrally formed. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The sample holder of claim 14, further comprising a post to which the sample receptacle is attached and a gripper disc to which the post is attached, wherein the post is fixed to the gripper disc in a form-locking manner by a key connection. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) A system, comprising: a radiation source configured to emit X-ray radiation; a radiation detector configured to receive X-ray radiation emitted from the radiation source; and a sample holder according to claim 1, wherein the sample holder is between the radiation source and the radiation detector along a path of the X-ray radiation. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) A method, comprising: placing a sample on the sample holder of claim 1; and passing X-ray radiation through the sample. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising using a detector to X-ray radiation that has passed through the sample. ### Claim 20 A sample holder, comprising: a sample placement surface configured to support a sample to position the sample in a first direction of the sample holder; a first alignment portion configured to align the sample in a second direction of the sample holder; a second alignment portion configured to align the sample in a third direction of the sample holder; a sample receptacle comprising a plurality of sample receiving sections; a post to which the sample receptacle is attached; a gripper disc to which the post is attached; and a fixing element configured to press the sample against: i) the sample placement surface; ii) the first alignment portion; and iii) the second alignment portion, wherein: the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction; the first direction is perpendicular to the third direction; the second direction is perpendicular to the third direction; each sample receiving section comprises a sample placement surface, a first alignment portion and a second alignment portion; and the post is fixed to the gripper disc in a form-locking manner by a key connection.