# US 9,040,908 B2 · Plan view sample preparation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,040,908 B2 - Document ID: US9040908B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/930,911 - Filed: 2013-06-28 - Published: 2015-01-01 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2013-06-28 - Assignees: FEI Company - Applicants: FEI Company - Inventors: Richard J. Young - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9040908B2 ## CPC - H01J 37/317: for changing properties of the objects or for applying thin layers thereon, e.g. for ion implantation (H01J37/36 takes precedence) - G01N 1/32: Polishing; Etching - H01J 37/20: Means for supporting or positioning the object or the material; Means for adjusting diaphragms or lenses associated with the support - H01J 37/28: with scanning beams {(H01J37/268, H01J37/292, H01J37/2955 take precedence)} - H01J 37/3023: {Program control} - H01J 37/3053: {for evaporating or etching} - H01J 37/3178: {for applying thin layers on objects} - H01J 2237/2802: Transmission microscopes - H01J 2237/31745: for preparing specimen to be viewed in microscopes or analyzed in microanalysers - H01J 2237/31749: Focused ion beam - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract A method and apparatus for altering the orientation of a charged particle beam sample is presented. Embodiments of the method includes providing a first work piece on a sample stage having a sample stage plane, the first work piece including a lamella plane in a first orientation. A sample is milled from the first work piece using an ion beam so that the sample is substantially free from the first work piece. A probe is attached to the sample, the probe including a shaft having a shaft axis, the shaft axis oriented at a shaft angle in relation to the sample stage plane, the shaft angle being non-normal to the sample stage plane. The probe is rotated about the shaft axis through a rotational angle so that the lamella plane is in a second orientation. The sample is attached to or placed on the sample on either the first work piece, the first work piece being the work piece from which the sample was milled, or on a second work piece, the second work piece being a work piece from which the sample was not milled. The sample is thinned using the ion beam to form a lamella, the lamella being oriented in the lamella plane. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for creating a plan view TEM sample, comprising: providing a first work piece on a sample stage having a sample stage plane, the first work piece including a lamella plane being oriented in a first orientation; milling a sample from the first work piece using an ion beam so that the sample is substantially free from the first work piece; attaching a probe to the sample, the probe including a shaft having a shaft axis, the shaft axis oriented at a shaft angle in relation to the sample stage plane, the shaft angle being non-normal to the sample stage plane; rotating the probe about the shaft axis through a rotational angle, the rotation causing the sample to be rotated so that the lamella plane is oriented in a second orientation; attaching the sample to or placing the sample on: the first work piece, the first work piece being the work piece from which the sample was milled; or a second work piece, the second work piece being a work piece from which the sample was not milled; and thinning the sample using the ion beam to form a lamella, the lamella being oriented in the lamella plane. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 in which the shaft angle is 45 degrees and the rotational angle is 180 degrees. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 in which attaching the probe to the sample includes attaching the probe to the sample by ion beam deposition. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 in which attaching the probe to the sample includes attaching the probe to the sample by an adhesive. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 in which milling the sample from the first work piece using an ion beam includes milling the sample from the first work piece using a focused ion beam. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 in which milling the sample further comprises milling the sample so that one face of the milled sample is substantially perpendicular to the lamella plane. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 in which attaching the sample to the first or second work piece further comprises forming at least one deposition on the work piece and the sample, the deposition attaching the sample to the first or second work pieces. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 further comprising forming the at least one deposition by ion beam deposition using the ion beam. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 in which attaching the sample to or placing the sample on the first or second work piece further comprises milling a recessed area in a surface of the first or second work piece, the recessed area being of a size that suitable to receive at least a portion of the sample, and placing the sample so that at least a portion of the sample is disposed within the recessed area. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 in which rotating the probe about the shaft axis through a rotational angle causes the sample to be rotated so that the sample stage plane and the lamella plane are substantially perpendicular. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 in which prior to the milling step the lamella plane is substantially parallel to the sample stage plane. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: milling the lamella from the sample using an ion beam so that the lamella is substantially free from the sample; attaching the lamella to a transmission electron microscope (TEM) grid; and viewing the lamella while attached to the transmission electron microscope (TEM) grid. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 further comprising, prior to milling the lamella from the sample, moving the work piece upon which the sample is attached or placed to a second device, the second device being a device that was not used to mill the sample from the work piece. ### Claim 14 An apparatus for processing a sample, comprising an ion beam column; a sample stage having a sample stage plane, the sample stage capable of moving in at least two dimensions and of rotating about a vertical axis; a probe, the probe being rotatable around a shaft axis, the shaft axis oriented at a shaft angle in relation to the sample stage plane, the shaft angle being non-normal to the sample stage plane; a controller, the controller causing the ion beam column, the sample stage, the probe, to perform the steps of: supporting a first work piece on the sample stage, the first work piece including a lamella plane; milling a sample from the first work piece using an ion beam from the ion beam column so that the sample is substantially free from the first work piece; attaching the probe to the sample; rotating the probe about the shaft axis through a rotational angle; attaching the sample to or placing the sample on: the first work piece, the first work piece being the work piece from which the sample was milled; or a second work piece, the second work piece being a work piece from which the sample was not milled; and thinning the sample using the ion beam column to form a lamella, the lamella being oriented in the lamella plane. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14 in which the ion beam column is a focused ion beam column. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14 in which the probe is oriented at 45 degrees to the sample stage. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The apparatus of claim 16 in which the rotational angle is 180 degrees. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14 in which the probe is attached to the sample by a deposition formed from the ion beam column. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14 in which the probe is attached to the sample by an adhesive. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14 in which the ion beam column is a focused ion beam column. ### Claim 21 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14 in which the controller causes the ion beam to mill the sample so that one face of the milled sample is substantially perpendicular to the lamella plane. ### Claim 22 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14 in which the sample is attached to the first or second work piece by at least one deposition formed on the work piece and the sample. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising forming the at least one deposition by ion beam deposition using the ion beam. ### Claim 24 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14 in which the sample is attached to or placed on the first or second work piece in a recessed area in a surface of the first or second work piece milled by the ion beam. ### Claim 25 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14 in which the probe is rotated about the shaft axis so that the sample stage plane and the lamella plane are substantially perpendicular. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The apparatus of claim 25 in which the lamella plane is substantially parallel to the sample stage plane prior to milling. ### Claim 27 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising the controller causing the ion beam column, the sample stage, the probe, to perform the additional steps of: milling the lamella from the sample using an ion beam so that the lamella is substantially free from the sample; attaching the lamella to a transmission electron microscope (TEM) grid; and viewing the lamella while attached to the transmission electron microscope (TEM) grid.