Manipulator for rotating and translating a sample holder

US7884326B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• FEI Company · US
• The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois · US
• The Regents of the University of California · US

Inventors

• Jeroen van de Water · Son en Breugel, NL
• Johannes Antonius Maria van den Oetelaar · Eindhoven, NL
• Raymond Wagner · Nuenen, NL
• Hendrik Nicolaas Slingerland · Venlo, NL
• Jan Willem Bruggers · Horst, NL
• Adriaan Huibert Dirk Ottevanger · Malden, NL
• Andreas Schmid · Berkeley, US
• Eric Olson · Champaign, US
• Ivan Petrov · Champaign, US
• Todor I. Donchev · Urbana, US
• Thomas Duden · Bielefeld, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 26, 2007
• Grant date: Feb 8, 2011
• Expiry date: Mar 13, 2029

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T74/20348
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A manipulator for use in e.g. a Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) is described, said manipulator capable of rotating and translating a sample holder (4). The manipulator clasps the round sample holder between two members (3A, 3B), said members mounted on actuators (2A, 2B). Moving the actuators in the same direction results in a translation of the sample holder, while moving the actuators in opposite directions results in a rotation of the sample holder.