US 11,749,496 B2
Protective shutter for charged particle microscope
Philip Brundage, Portland, OR (US)
Assigned to FEI Company, Hillsboro, OR (US)
Filed by FEI Company, Hillsboro, OR (US)
Filed on Jun. 21, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/353,317.
Prior Publication US 2022/0406562 A1, Dec. 22, 2022
Int. Cl. H01J 37/28 (2006.01); H01J 37/26 (2006.01); H01J 37/32 (2006.01); H01J 37/34 (2006.01)
CPC H01J 37/28 (2013.01) [H01J 37/265 (2013.01); H01J 37/3244 (2013.01); H01J 37/3447 (2013.01); H01J 2237/31749 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus comprising:
an SEM column and a focused ion beam (FIB) column;
a gas injection nozzle coupled to a translation device, the translation device configured to insert the gas injection nozzle into a processing position; and
a shutter coupled to the gas injection nozzle and arranged to be disposed between a sample and the SEM column when the gas injection nozzle is inserted into the processing position, wherein the shutter is arranged to protect components of the SEM column during sample processing with the FIB column.