Sample preparation

US7511282B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• FEI Company · US

Inventors

• Enrique Agorio · Lake Oswego, US
• Michael Tanguay · York, US
• Christophe Roudin · Hillsboro, US
• Liang Hong · Redmond, US
• Jay Jordan · Beaverton, US
• Craig Henry · Hillsboro, US
• Mark Darus · Hillsboro, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 25, 2006
• Grant date: Mar 31, 2009
• Expiry date: Jun 30, 2027

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T428/24355
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Methods of extracting a TEM sample from a substrate include milling a hole on the sample and inserting a probe into the hole. The sample adheres to the probe, and can be processed on transferred while on the probe. In another embodiment, the sample is freed from a substrate and adheres to a probe by electrostatic attraction. The sample is placed onto a TEM sample holder in a vacuum chamber.