GRID HOLDER FOR STEM ANALYSIS IN A CHARGED PARTICLE INSTRUMENT

摘要

A grid holder (100) for STEM analysis in a charged-particle instrument has a base jaw (120) and a pivoting jaw (130). Both jaws (120, 130) have a substantially congruent inclined portion (127, 135). The base jaw (120) has a flat portion (125) for mounting the holder on the sample carousel (220) of a charged-particle instrument, such as a dual beam FIB. The inclined portion of the jaws (127, 135) is inclined to the flat portion (125) of the holder (100) at an angle A approximately equal to the difference between 90 degrees and the angle between the electron beam (260) and the ion beam (240) in the charged-particle instrument. The inclined portion (127, 135) of the jaws (120, 130) has a pocket (200) for receiving and holding a sample grid (110). When a sample is mounted on the grid (110) and the grid (1 10) is held by the grid holder (100), the sample will be correctly oriented for ion-beam thinning when the sample carousel (220) is horizontal. The thinned sample may then be placed perpendicular to the electron beam (260) for STEM analysis by tilting the sample carousel (220) by the same angle A.