US 12,437,960 B2
Rotatable TEM grid holder for improved FIB thinning process
Xiaochen Zhu, Milpitas, CA (US); Norman Lay, Santa Clara, CA (US); Lito De La Rama, San Jose, CA (US); and Jimmy Yeh, Fremont, CA (US)
Assigned to Sandisk Technologies, Inc., Milpitas, CA (US)
Filed by Sandisk Technologies, Inc., Milpitas, CA (US)
Filed on Jul. 14, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/222,280.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/416,849, filed on Oct. 17, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0128046 A1, Apr. 18, 2024
Int. Cl. H01J 37/20 (2006.01)
CPC H01J 37/20 (2013.01) 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A rotatable transmission electron microscope (TEM) sample holder, the sample holder holding a sample for imaging and/or milling, the rotatable TEM sample holder comprising:
a clamp configured to releasably secure the TEM sample holder;
a clamp holder configured to releasably secure the clamp, the clamp holder having a central axis of rotation, and comprising first and second legs extending radially from the axis of rotation, the first and second legs being radially offset from each other on the clamp holder; and
a main stage configured to support the clamp holder and clamp, and configured to position the sample for the imaging and/or the milling;
wherein the clamp holder may be placed in a first position on the main stage with the first leg positioned in the main stage for imaging and/or milling the sample while the sample is in a first orientation;
wherein the clamp holder may be placed in a second position on the main stage with the second leg positioned in the main stage for imaging and/or milling the sample while the sample is in a second orientation different than the first orientation; and
wherein the clamp holder may be manually moved between the first and second positions.