VARIABLE-TILT TEM SPECIMEN HOLDER FOR CHARGED-PARTICLE BEAM INSTRUMENTS

摘要

A variable-tilt specimen holder (100) for a charged particle instrument having a tilt stage (360), where the tilt stage (360) has a maximum range of tilt, a sample plate (280) affixed to the tilt stage (360), and an ion-beam column (320) having an ion-beam column axis. The variable-tilt specimen holder (100) has a base (110) for mounting to the sample plate (280), so that the base (110) is substantially parallel to the tilt stage (360). A rotatably supported pivot plate (140) has slots (210) for holding TEM specimens (270) or TEM grids holding specimens (270). The pivot plate (140) is rotatable so that the TEM specimens (270) held therein can be aligned with the axis of the ion beam column (320) for thinning of the specimen (270). The pivot plate (140) has a range of rotation sufficient to move the preferred axis (275) of thinning of the specimen (270) from a first position where the tilt stage (360) is placed at its maximum range of tilt and the angle between the preferred axis (275) of thinning of the specimen (270) and the axis of the ion beam column (320) is greater than zero, to a second position where the preferred axis (275) for thinning of the specimen (270) is substantially parallel to the axis of the ion-beam column (320).