Tomography-assisted tem prep with requested intervention automation workflow

A method comprising:

• milling a layer of material from one major lateral side of a workpiece, the workpiece including two major lateral sides;
• acquiring an image at each tilt orientation of a small-angle tilt series, the small-angle tilt series including a plurality of tilt orientations;
• identifying one or more features in each of the images;
• applying metrology to determine respective depths of the one or more features from at least one of the major lateral sides;
• requesting an operator intervention in the process by (I) displaying prepared images with measured depths displayed and identified, (II) displaying measured thickness of the workpiece lamella, and (III) presenting a limited choice intervention menu with a first option to mill away a layer on the same major lateral side of the workpiece previously milled and a second option to flip the workpiece and then mill away a layer on the opposing major lateral side of the workpiece;
• receiving an operator choice through the limited choice intervention menu;
• and
• based on the operator choice, either flipping the lamella or presenting the previously milled major lateral side of the workpiece lamella toward the ion beam, milling a layer of material from the presented side of the workpiece.