Specimen Holder Tilt Adjustment for Parallel Surface Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing specimen holders lack the ability to adjust the tilt of specimens during preparation for ion beam milling and mechanical polishing, which is essential for achieving parallel surfaces and optimal milling positions.

Innovation Solution

A specimen holder with a holder main body, a specimen mount, and a pressing member that includes a rod-like adjustment jig, allowing the specimen mount to be tilted by inserting the adjustment jig into a through-hole, enabling adjustable tilt and position adjustments for precise specimen alignment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If a specimen holder without tilt adjustment capability is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the manufacturing precision of the specimen surface is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespecimen surface parallelismVSAvoidholder structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The specimen holder employs a dynamic tilt adjustment mechanism where the specimen mount can be tilted relative to the holder main body by rotating the pressing member around a pivot point. This allows the holder to transition from a fixed to an adjustable configuration, enabling precise control of the specimen surface angle during mechanical polishing to achieve parallel surfaces without over-complicating the overall structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The holder enables change of the tilt angle parameter of the specimen mount. By adjusting the pressing member's rotational position, the tilt angle can be varied to optimize the specimen surface orientation for polishing operations, thereby improving manufacturing precision while maintaining a relatively simple structural design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If a specimen holder with tilt adjustment mechanism is added, then the ease of operation for specimen alignment is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespecimen alignment easeVSAvoidholder structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The pressing member serves dual functions: it applies pressing force to secure the specimen mount to the holder main body, and it acts as the adjustment mechanism for tilting the specimen mount. This self-service design allows the same component to perform both clamping and alignment adjustment, improving ease of operation without significantly increasing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP4404234A1Specimen holder, specimen holder set, and specimen preparation method
Publication Date: 2024.07.24 JEOL LTD
  • EP4404234A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4404234A1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4404234A1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A specimen holder includes a holder main body, a specimen mount to which a specimen is to be fixed, and a pressing member which slidably presses the specimen mount against the holder main body, wherein a through-hole is provided in the specimen mount, and the specimen mount is tilted with respect to the holder main body by tilting a rod-like member which is inserted into the through-hole.