Sample cartridge carrier apparatus and carrier base
AssigneeJEOL Ltd.
InventorMasashi Shimizu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sample cartridge carrier apparatus is coupled with a focused ion beam processing apparatus (FIB processing apparatus). A guide mechanism is configured to guide a series of movements of a sample cartridge holder to allow a sample cartridge to be held by a carrier base on a sub stage. Sub cooling equipment is configured to cool the sample cartridge via the sub stage. A carrier mechanism carries the carrier base between the sub stage and a main stage.
Claims12
A sample cartridge carrier apparatus comprising:
- a sub stage disposed away from a main stage in a processing apparatus;
- a carrier base configured to be placed on the sub stage, the carrier base comprising a cooler block and a retainer mechanism disposed in the cooler block, the retainer mechanism configured to retain a sample cartridge received from a sample cartridge holder;
- sub cooling equipment configured to cool the cooler block via the sub stage;
- and
- a carrier mechanism configured to carry the carrier base that retains the sample cartridge between the sub stage and the main stage,
- wherein the processing apparatus comprises main cooling equipment configured to cool the main stage,
- the sample cartridge holder comprises portable cooling equipment configured to cool the sample cartridge, the portable cooling equipment being independent of the main cooling equipment, and
- the sub cooling equipment is independent of the main cooling equipment and the portable cooling equipment.
A sample cartridge carrier apparatus comprising:
- a sub stage disposed away from a main stage;
- a carrier base configured to be placed on the sub stage, the carrier base comprising a cooler block configured to be cooled via the sub stage and a retainer mechanism disposed in the cooler block, the retainer mechanism configured to retain a sample cartridge received from a sample cartridge holder;
- and
- a carrier mechanism configured to carry the carrier base that retains the sample cartridge between the sub stage and the main stage,
- wherein the sample cartridge holder comprises a holder body having a tip end configured to hold the sample cartridge,
- the sample cartridge carrier apparatus comprises a guide mechanism configured to receive the holder body and guide the tip end toward the carrier base,
- the guide mechanism is configured to guide a series of movements of the holder body, the series of movements comprising a forward movement, a rotation movement, and a backward movement, and
- the retainer mechanism is configured to operate in accordance with a change in a position and orientation of the sample cartridge caused by the series of movements.
A carrier base configured to be carried between a sub stage and a main stage, the carrier base comprising:
- a retainer mechanism configured to retain a sample cartridge received from a sample cartridge holder, the sample cartridge comprising a cartridge body and a rear end that is continuous to the cartridge body, wherein
- the retainer mechanism comprises:
- a mount face;
- a lever member comprising a lever configured to rise and fall;
- and
- a lock mechanism configured to restrict rising of the lever, with the sample cartridge disposed between the mount face and the lever,
- wherein the lever is sequentially placed in a floating state and a fallen state in accordance with a change in a position and orientation of the sample cartridge,
- in the floating state, the cartridge body passes under the lever, and
- in the fallen state, the sample cartridge is disposed between the mount face and the lever.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.