Specimen Holder With Integral Ion Beam Screen
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ion beam milling systems require repeated transfer of specimens between preparation and observation devices, leading to potential damage, contamination, and oxidation due to exposure to air, as they lack the capability for in situ adjustment of the specimen and slope cutting screen within a focused beam microscope.
Innovation Solution
A specimen holder with an integral screen that allows remote adjustment of the ion beam screen relative to the specimen carriage, enabling precision milling within the same vacuum environment shared by the ion beam milling device and focused beam microscope, facilitating continuous transfer without leaving the vacuum.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If specimens are repeatedly transferred between ion beam milling devices and observation devices, then preparation and analysis can be performed, but specimen damage and contamination increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the ion beam milling device and the observation device (SEM) into a single integrated system with a common vacuum chamber. The specimen holder can be positioned in either the ion beam path for milling or in the electron beam path for observation without leaving the vacuum environment, eliminating repeated transfers and associated contamination risks.
Solution Approach 2:
The specimen holder is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as a support for ion beam milling and as a positioning platform for SEM observation. The holder includes adjustment mechanisms that allow it to function in different operational modes within the same vacuum chamber, reducing the need for separate devices and specimen transfers.
2Manufacturing precision
If specimen and screen alignment is performed outside the microscope, then preparation is simplified, but precision and contamination control deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment and positioning of the specimen and masking screen are performed in advance within the vacuum environment before the actual ion beam milling begins. The specimen holder includes adjustment mechanisms that allow precise positioning while maintaining vacuum conditions, preventing contamination that would occur with post-alignment adjustments in air.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a vacuum-compatible adjustment mechanism as an intermediary between the specimen and the masking screen. This mechanism allows precise alignment to be performed through the vacuum barrier without breaking the vacuum seal, maintaining both precision and contamination control simultaneously.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple milling steps are required to achieve desired thickness, then precision is improved, but specimen transfer risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the ion beam milling capability with SEM observation in a single integrated system, the patent enables multiple milling steps to be performed without removing the specimen from the vacuum chamber. The specimen remains protected throughout the entire multi-step process, eliminating transfer risks while maintaining precise thickness control through iterative milling and observation cycles.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables contamination-free, precise adjustment and milling of specimens, reducing the risk of damage and oxidation by allowing in situ alignment and milling within a common vacuum, thereby improving the precision and reliability of cross-sectional profiling of materials.
Implementation Method 1
ion beam directed at a masking screen located at or near a specimen surface
Implementation Method 2
the remainder of the specimen is milled by the ion beam
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for holding a specimen to be viewed in a focused beam microscope, which can be an electron microscope or a focused ion beam microscope. The apparatus has a base and a specimen carriage with specimen mounting surface in a first plane and an ion beam screen or knife blade. The relative position between the ion beam screen and the specimen carriage are remotely adjustable while the apparatus is mounted in the focused beam microscope. In a further embodiment, the apparatus is transferable between an ion beam milling device and the focused beam microscope while the milling device and the microscope share a common vacuum.