Method for the manufacture and transmissive irradiation of a sample, and particle-optical system

Particle optical system, comprising a low-pressure chamber containing manipulator means for at least two objects to be irradiated, an electron source and an ion source for the purpose of allowing irradiation of an object, carried by the manipulating means, using an electron beam and an ion beam, respectively, the manipulating means comprising a number of first manipulation parts, which are movable relative to one another and collectively movable relative to the electron beam and the ion beam according to a first set of degrees of freedom, one of which first manipulation parts comprising a first object carrier, for allowing, in the case of a first object carried by the first object carrier and at a first position of the manipulating means, reflective irradiation of said first object using an electron beam and/or irradiation of said first object using an ion beam, the manipulating means further comprising at least one second manipulation part comprising a second object carrier, the system further comprising displacing means for relatively displacing an object from the first object carrier to the second object carrier, characterized in that the manipulating means are embodied so as to allow, in the case of a second object carried by the second object carrier and at a second position of the manipulating means, transmissive or reflective irradiation of said second object by an electron beam and/or irradiation of said second object by an ion beam.

A particle optical system for extracting a sample from a work piece and transmitting electrons through the sample, comprising:

• a stage for supporting a work piece;
• an ion beam column for producing an ion beam to cut a sample from the work piece, the ion beam column having an ion beam axis;
• a sample manipulator for repositioning the sample cut from the work piece by the ion beam column;
• an electron beam column for producing an electron beam for transmitting through the sample, the electron beam column having an electron beam column axis;
• and
• an electron detector positioned to detect electrons transmitted through the sample,
• the stage, the ion beam column, the electron beam column, the sample manipulator and the electron detector being positioned in a low pressure chamber to allow the sample to be cut, repositioned and have electrons transmitted through the sample and detected, without removing the sample from the vacuum chamber.

A method of extracting a small sample and transmitting electrons through the sample within a low pressure chamber, comprising:

• cutting a sample from a work piece using a focused ion beam in the low pressure chamber;
• moving the sample from the work piece to a sample holder in the low pressure chamber;
• attaching the sample to the sample holder in the low pressure chamber;
• and
• directing an electron beam toward the sample in the sample holder in the low pressure chamber;
• and
• detecting electrons transmitted through the sample in the low pressure chamber.