Patent · US Expired

Preparation of transmission electron microscope samples

US6194720A · kind A · utility

113Cited by
3References
30Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 24, 1998
Grant dateFeb 27, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 24, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N1/32
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A sectional transmission electron microscope (TEM) specimen and a method of forming the same is provided. The specimen includes two separate electron transparent regions, namely a first electron transparent segment for analyzing a specific feature and a second electron transparent segment for analyzing bulk features. The first electron transparent segment is formed using a focused ion beam (FIB) technique, while the second electron transparent segment is formed by a wedge forming technique. The latter step is carried out by protecting the first segment with an adhesive filler and a covering glass layer, polishing a surface of the specimen at an angle to an opposite surface, while simultaneously exposing the previously formed first segment, and removing the filler and glass layer.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.