US 8,384,050 B2 · Ion beam sample preparation thermal management apparatus and methods

Abstract

Disclosed are embodiments of an ion beam sample preparation thermal management apparatus and methods for using the embodiments. The apparatus comprises an ion beam irradiating means in a vacuum chamber that may direct ions toward a sample, a shield blocking a portion of the ions directed toward the sample, and a shield retention stage with shield retention means that replaceably and removably holds the shield in a position. The shield has datum features which abut complementary datum features on the shield retention stage when the shield is held in the shield retention stage. The shield has features which enable the durable adhering of the sample to the shield for processing the sample with the ion beam. The complementary datum features on both shield and shield retention stage enable accurate and repeatable positioning of the sample in the apparatus for sample processing and reprocessing. A heat sink means is configured to conduct heat away from the sample undergoing sample preparation in the ion beam. The ion beam irradiating means may modulate ion beam intensity between at least two intensities. The shield retention stage may be stationary or rotating.

Claims39

Dependent claims

An ion beam sample preparation thermal management apparatus comprising:

a) an ion beam irradiating means disposed in a vacuum chamber and directing an ion beam toward a shield;
b) a shield retention stage disposed in the vacuum chamber;
said shield retention stage comprising:
i) a first datum feature;
ii) a second datum feature;
iii) a shield retention means having at least a shield releasing position and a shield retaining position;
c) a thermal transfer member in thermally conductive contact with said shield retention stage;
d) a heat sink means configured to conduct heat away from said thermal transfer member;
e) the shield having at least a rigid planar portion, removeably and replaceably held in said shield retention stage, said shield further comprising:
i) a proximal sample surface configured to durably adhere the sample to the shield;
ii) a first shielding surface disposed in the path of the ion beam and positioned to shield a portion of the ion beam directed at the sample when said shield is held in the shield retaining position of the shield retention means;
iii) a third datum feature formed integrally with said shield, wherein said shield retention means in said shield retaining position urges said third datum feature to abut in thermally conductive contact said first datum feature;
and,
iv) a fourth datum feature formed integrally with said shield, wherein said shield retention means in said shield retaining position urges said fourth datum feature to abut said second datum feature.

11 more elements

An ion beam sample preparation thermal management apparatus comprising:

a) an ion beam irradiating means disposed in a vacuum chamber and directing an ion beam toward a shield;
b) a rotating shield retention stage disposed in the vacuum chamber;
said shield retention stage comprising:
i) a first datum feature;
ii) a second datum feature;
iii) a shield retention means having at least a shield releasing position and a shield retaining position;
iv) a rotation axis located substantially in the plane of the first datum feature;
v) a rotation drive configured to rotate the shield retention stage around the rotation axis;
c) a first thermal transfer member rotating with the shield retention stage and in thermally conductive contact with said shield retention stage;
d) a second thermal transfer member in thermally conductive contact with said first thermal transfer member;
e) a heat sink means configured to conduct heat away from said second thermal transfer member;
f) a shield having at least a rigid planar portion, removeably and replaceably held in said shield retention stage, said shield further comprising:
i) a third datum feature formed integrally with the shield, wherein said shield retention means in said shield retaining position urges said third datum feature to abut in thermally conductive contact said first datum feature;
ii) a fourth datum feature formed integrally with the shield, wherein said shield retention means in said shield retaining position urges said fourth datum feature to abut said second datum feature;
iii) a first shielding surface disposed in the path of the ion beam and positioned to shield a portion of the ion beam directed at the sample when said shield is held in the shield retaining position of the shield retention means;
iv) a proximal sample surface configured to durably adhere the sample to the shield;
v) a shield edge formed where the first shielding surface meets the proximal sample surface, wherein said shield edge is held substantially perpendicular to said rotation axis when said shield is held in the shield retaining position of the shield retention means.

14 more elements

An ion beam sample preparation thermal management apparatus comprising:

a) an ion beam irradiating device disposed in a vacuum chamber and directing an ion beam toward a shield, the ion beam irradiating device comprising an ion beam modulation means providing at least a first ion beam intensity and a second ion beam intensity;
wherein said first ion beam intensity is lower in intensity than said second ion beam intensity;
b) a shield retention stage disposed in the vacuum chamber;
said shield retention stage comprising:
i) a first datum feature;
ii) a second datum feature;
iii) a shield retention means having at least a shield releasing position and a shield retaining position;
c) the shield having at least a rigid planar portion, removeably and replaceably held in said shield retention stage, said shield further comprising:
i) a proximal sample surface configured to durably adhere the sample to the shield;
ii) a first shielding surface disposed in the path of the ion beam and positioned to shield a portion of the ion beam directed at the sample when said shield is held in the shield retaining position of the shield retention means;
iii) a third datum feature formed integrally with said shield, wherein said shield retention means in said shield retaining position urges said third datum feature to abut said first datum feature;
and,
iv) a fourth datum feature formed integrally with said shield, wherein said shield retention means in said shield retaining position urges said fourth datum feature to abut said second datum feature.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Ion beam sample preparation thermal management apparatus and methods

Life of this patent

Ion beam sample preparation thermal management apparatus and methods

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims39