# US 2013/0153785 A1 · Method and apparatus for sample extraction and handling > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0153785 A1 - Document ID: US20130153785A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/746,124 - Filed: 2013-01-21 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2006-10-20 - Assignees: FEI Company - Inventors: Enrique Agorio; James Edgar Hudson; Gerhard Daniel; Michael Tanguay; Jason Arjavac - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130153785A1 ## CPC - H01J 37/20: Means for supporting or positioning the object or the material; Means for adjusting diaphragms or lenses associated with the support - G01N 1/286: {involving mechanical work, e.g. chopping, disintegrating, compacting, homogenising (microtomes G01N1/06; pulverising in general B02C; mixing in general B01F)} - G01N 1/32: Polishing; Etching - H01J 37/26: Electron or ion microscopes; Electron or ion diffraction tubes - H01J 37/28: with scanning beams {(H01J37/268, H01J37/292, H01J37/2955 take precedence)} - H01J 37/285: Emission microscopes, e.g. field-emission microscopes - H01J 37/31: for cutting or drilling - G01N 2001/2873: {Cutting or cleaving} - G01N 2001/2886: {Laser cutting, e.g. tissue catapult} - G01R 31/2893: {Handling, conveying or loading, e.g. belts, boats, vacuum fingers (G01R31/2867 takes precedence; handling semiconductor devices or wafers during manufacture or treatment H10P72/00)} - H01J 2237/202: Movement - H01J 2237/2802: Transmission microscopes - H01J 2237/2812: Emission microscopes - H01J 2237/3109: Cutting - H01J 2237/3114: Machining - H01J 2237/31745: for preparing specimen to be viewed in microscopes or analyzed in microanalysers - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) - 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) - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) ## Abstract An improved method and apparatus for extracting and handling samples for S/TEM analysis. Preferred embodiments of the present invention make use of a micromanipulator and a hollow microprobe probe using vacuum pressure to adhere the microprobe tip to the sample. By applying a small vacuum pressure to the lamella through the microprobe tip, the lamella can be held more securely and its placement controlled more accurately than by using electrostatic force alone. By using a probe having a beveled tip and which can also be rotated around its long axis, the extracted sample can be placed down flat on a sample holder. This allows sample placement and orientation to be precisely controlled, thus greatly increasing predictability of analysis and throughput. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for extracting a sample from a substrate, the sample having a planar sample face, and the apparatus comprising: a moveable stage for a substrate, the stage connected to one or more stage controllers; microprobe comprising a hollow tube connected to a vacuum source and open at said microprobe tip; said microprobe having a beveled probe tip; said microprobe cable of rotating so that the beveled probe tip can come into contact with a planar sample face; a micromanipulator connected to the microprobe, said micromanipulator connected to one or more micromanipulator controllers; a sample holder for holding the extracted sample, said sample holder also mounted on a moveable stage; an imaging device; and a vacuum source connected to the microprobe so that a vacuum can be applied through the microprobe tip. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said microprobe has a generally flat tip with the flat surface angled at an oblique tip angle with respect to the cylindrical axis of the microprobe, wherein said microprobe is oriented so that the cylindrical axis of the microprobe is at an oblique probe angle with respect to the substrate surface and so that the beveled probe tip is substantially parallel to the sample face, and wherein said micromanipulator can rotate the microprobe about the cylindrical axis of the microprobe. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a computer having a memory holding computer-readable instructions, said computer operably connected to said stage controllers, said micromanipulator controllers, and said imaging device; and said computer-readable instructions comprising instructions to (a) move the stage so that the sample site is within the field of view of the imaging device; (b) image the sample site; (c) locate the sample position; (d) rotate the stage so that the microprobe is perpendicular to the sample face; (e) rotate the microprobe around its cylindrical axis so that the microprobe tip surface is parallel to the sample surface; (f) move the microprobe tip into contact with the sample face; (g) lift the microprobe tip with attached sample away from the substrate. (h) move the stage so that the sample holder is within the field of view of the imaging device; (i) rotate the microprobe around its cylindrical axis to bring the sample into a desired orientation with respect to the sample holder; (j) move the microprobe so that the sample is placed at the desired position on the sample holder. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said imaging device comprises an optical microscope. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 in which the sample holder is a TEM grid. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a light source positioned at an oblique angle with respect to the substrate surface such that light is directed at the substrate surface but light reflecting off of the substrate surface will not enter the acceptance angle of the optical microscope. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said light source is generally positioned in the same vertical plane as the cylindrical axis of the microprobe such that rotating the stage so that the cylindrical axis of the microprobe is perpendicular to the sample face also positions the light source so that illumination from the light source will also be directed perpendicular to the sample face. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2 in which the probe angle is 45 degrees, the tip angle is 45 degrees, and the first rotational angle is 180 degrees. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the generally flat tip of said microprobe has a roughened face to minimize electrostatic attraction between the probe tip and the sample. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said microprobe is coated with a conductive material and further comprising a contact sensor for detecting when the microprobe makes contact with a surface. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an air flow sensor for determining sample contact by monitoring pressure changes in the vacuum applied through the microprobe tip. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 in which the moveable substrate stage and the micromanipulator are not located inside an ion beam system. ### Claim 13 (canceled) ### Claim 14 (canceled) ### Claim 15 (canceled) ### Claim 16 (canceled) ### Claim 17 (canceled) ### Claim 18 (canceled) ### Claim 19 (canceled) ### Claim 20 (canceled) ### Claim 21 (canceled) ### Claim 22 (canceled) ### Claim 23 (canceled) ### Claim 24 (canceled) ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) A sample suitable for extraction from a substrate using the apparatus of claim 1, the sample comprising: a sample having a proximal end, a distal end, and a center section; said center section being generally wedge shaped and containing a feature of interest to be imaged; at least one wing section formed at either the proximal or distal end, said wing section having a thickness of less than 500 nm and at least one substantially vertical face. ### Claim 26 (canceled) ### Claim 27 (canceled) ### Claim 28 (canceled) ### Claim 29 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 in wherein the movable stage is capable of moving in an X-Y direction in comparison to the sample. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The apparatus of claim 29 further including an adjustable light source where the illumination angle. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the adjustable light source is adjustable manually. ### Claim 32 (depends on 30) The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the adjustable light source is adjustable automatically. ### Claim 33 (depends on 29) The apparatus of claim 29 where the adjustable light can be used to allow imaging of alignment marks and TEM grids.