Shield Plate Tape Winding for Smooth Ion Milling Surfaces
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sample milling apparatuses using shield plates face issues with uneven shielding surfaces due to ion beam irradiation, leading to the inability to reuse the shield plates and requiring frequent replacements, as the irradiation etches both the sample and the shield plate, resulting in creases and unevenness.
Innovation Solution
A shield plate fabrication apparatus that uses a base plate holding shaft and a tension mechanism to wind electrically conductive tape around the base plate, applying tension to prevent creases and ensure a smooth, flat shielding surface, allowing for easy attachment and reuse of the shield plate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If tape is manually attached to the base plate without tension, then the fabrication process is simple, but the shielding surface becomes uneven with creases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies tension to the tape during the winding process itself, performing the tensioning action preliminarily before the tape is fully attached. This ensures the tape is stretched and smoothed out during attachment, preventing creases from forming later while maintaining a simple fabrication process
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a dynamic tensioning mechanism that applies variable tension during the tape winding process. The tension is applied dynamically as the tape is being wound onto the base plate, allowing the tape to be stretched and smoothed in real-time during attachment, ensuring a crease-free surface without complicating the overall fabrication process
2Productivity
If the shield plate is used multiple times, then productivity improves, but the shielding surface becomes uneven due to ion beam etching
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a shield plate with a smooth, crease-free shielding surface that can withstand multiple ion beam irradiations without developing unevenness. The tensioned tape structure prevents crease formation that would otherwise occur during repeated use, allowing the shield plate to be recovered and reused multiple times maintaining consistent performance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent preliminarily tensions the tape during fabrication to prevent crease formation before the shield plate is put into service. This preliminary tensioning action ensures the shielding surface remains smooth during subsequent multiple uses and ion beam irradiations, enabling repeated use without degradation of surface quality
3Manufacturing precision
If tension is applied to the tape during winding, then the shielding surface becomes smooth and crease-free, but the fabrication process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates tension application as part of the preliminary tape winding process. By applying tension during the initial winding and attachment phase, the system achieves smooth shielding surfaces without requiring complex post-processing equipment or additional fabrication steps, thus minimizing added complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a dynamic tensioning mechanism that integrates seamlessly with the tape winding process. The tension is applied through a simple mechanical means during winding, avoiding the need for complex static tensioning structures or multiple separate systems, thereby achieving smooth surfaces with minimal increase in fabrication apparatus complexity
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
There is provided a shield plate fabrication apparatus (100) capable of fabricating a shield plate (6) easily. The shield plate (6) is included in a sample milling apparatus (300) which mills a sample (S) by shielding a part of the sample (S) with the shield plate (6) and irradiating the sample (S) with a charged particle beam (IB). The fabrication apparatus (100) includes: a base plate holding shaft (10) for rotatably holding a base plate (2) and winding tape (4) around the base plate (2); and a tension mechanism (50) for applying tension to the tape (4) while it is being wound around the base plate (2).