Sample preparation stage
AssigneeFEI Company
InventorsJohannes A. H. W. G. Persoon, Andreas Theodorus Engelen, Mathijs Petrus Wilhelmus van den Boogaard, Rudolf Johannes Peter Gerardus Schampers, Michael Frederick Hayles
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Abstract
Described is a system and method for in situ sample preparation and imaging. The system includes a multi-axis stage 100 having a bulk stage 110 and a grid stage 150 with various degrees of freedom to allow for sample preparation. In some embodiments, a focused ion beam system is used to prepare a lamella on the bulk stage 110. The lamella can then be transferred to the grid stage 150 from the bulk stage 110 without needing to move the multi-axis stage 100 from the focused ion beam system.
Claims18
A multi-axis sample preparation stage, comprising:
- a bulk sample holder configured to rotate a sample position about a first bulk axis parallel to the direction of the bulk sample holder and also rotate the sample position about a bulk flip axis that is perpendicular to the direction of the bulk sample holder;
- and
- a grid sample holder for holding a sample grid adjacent the bulk sample holder and configured to rotate the sample grid about a first grid axis parallel to the direction of the grid sample holder and a grid flip axis that is perpendicular to the direction of the grid sample holder.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.