Sample carrier for use in a charged particle microscope, and a method of using such a sample carrier in a charged particle microscope

Method of preparing a sample in a focused ion beam microscope, comprising the steps of:

• providing a sample carrier having a mechanical support contour and a grid member connected thereto, the grid member is substatially planar, and the mechanical support contour completely encloses the grid member about a circumference of said planar grid member, and the mechanical support contour is ring-shaped;
• connecting said sample carrier to a grid stage of said charged particle microscope;
• and
• providing a bulk sample held by a bulk stage, wherein the bulk stae and the grid stage are mounted to a same base;
• using said foucsed ion beam for creating a sample in said bulk sample;
• and
• releasing said sample said bulk and transferring said sample to said smaple carrier using an elongate transport member, wherein said elongate transport member defines an angle with a plane defined by said sample carrier, and wherein said angle is kept substantially constant during at least a substantial part of transfer of said sample from said bulk sample to said sample carrier, and wherein the elongate transport member is temporarily attached to said sample;
• characterized by the step of connecting said sample to the grid member of the sample carrier in a condition wherein the mechanical support contour and the grid member are pre-connected to each other.