Specimen holder used for mounting
AssigneeProtochips, Inc.
InventorsDavid P. Nackashi, John Damiano, Jr., Stephen E. Mick, Thomas G. Schmelzer, Michael Zapata, III
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A novel specimen holder for specimen support devices for insertion in electron microscopes. The novel specimen holder of the invention provides mechanical support for specimen support devices and as well as electrical contacts to the specimens or specimen support devices.
Claims18
An electron microscope specimen holder comprising a body, a clipping means, and at least one guide mechanism, wherein the clipping means comprise an article of manufacture having a top surface, a bottom surface, a first end, a securing means, a second end, and at least one electrical contact integrated on and/or in the bottom surface of the article, wherein the specimen holder further comprises a spring cantilever and a means of contacting said spring cantilever with the bottom surface of the first end of the article, wherein the spring cantilever provides constant tension to the first end of the article.
A method of providing an electrical contact between a specimen and a specimen holder of an electron microscope, said method comprising:
- positioning a specimen on a specimen support device, wherein the specimen support device comprises a frame, at least one electrical lead and at least one membrane region;
- and
- inserting the specimen support device in a specimen holder, wherein the specimen holder comprises a body, a clipping means, and at least one guide mechanism, wherein the clipping means comprise an article of manufacture having a top surface, a bottom surface, a first end, a securing means, a second end, and at least one electrical contact integrated on and/or in a bottom surface of the article, wherein the specimen holder further comprises a spring cantilever and a means of contacting said spring cantilever with the bottom surface of the first end of the article, wherein the spring cantilever provides constant tension to the first end of the article;
- and wherein at least one electrical lead of the device substantially contacts at least one electrical contact of the clipping means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.