US 11,869,744 B2
Electron microscope sample holder fluid handling with independent pressure and flow control
Franklin Stampley Walden, II, Raleigh, NC (US); John Damiano, Jr., Holly Springs, NC (US); Daniel Stephen Gardiner, Wake Forest, NC (US); and William Bradford Carpenter, Asheville, NC (US)
Assigned to Protochips, Inc., Morrisville, NC (US)
Filed by Protochips, Inc., Morrisville, NC (US)
Filed on Jan. 7, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/570,481.
Application 17/570,481 is a continuation of application No. 16/734,548, filed on Jan. 6, 2020, granted, now 11,222,765.
Application 16/734,548 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2018/041048, filed on Jul. 6, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/529,195, filed on Jul. 6, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2022/0130637 A1, Apr. 28, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H01J 37/20 (2006.01); G01F 1/34 (2006.01); G05D 7/06 (2006.01)
CPC H01J 37/20 (2013.01) [G01F 1/34 (2013.01); G05D 7/0635 (2013.01); H01J 2237/006 (2013.01); H01J 2237/26 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for controlling fluid flow through an electron microscope sample holder, the system comprising:
a pressure control system that supplies source gas, the pressure control system comprising an upstream tank and a downstream low pressure source;
an inlet line for providing the source gas from the pressure control system to the sample holder;
an outlet line for receiving the source gas from the sample holder; and
at least one variable leak valve connected to the outlet line and positioned downstream from the sample holder, wherein the at least one variable leak valve meters the gas flow to achieve a target gas flow rate through the sample holder based on a rate of change of pressure.