Apparatus for stem sample inspection in a charged particle beam instrument

Abstract

An apparatus for in-situ sample examination in a dual-beam FIB includes a cassette for holding probe tips inside the FIB, where the FIB has an X-Y plane and a port for a nano-manipulator probe shaft, and where the probe shaft is further capable of releasably holding a probe tip. The cassette has a base and at least one probe-tip station connected to the base. The probe-tip station has a slot for receiving a probe tip, where the probe-tip slot has an angle with respect to the base substantially equal to the angle of the port for the nano-manipulator probe shaft relative to the X-Y plane of the FIB. The cassette has a clamp with springy fingers located in the slot for receiving and releasably holding the probe tip. The apparatus is adapted to in-situ STEM examination of samples.

1 . A cassette for holding probe tips inside a charged particle beam instrument, where the charged particle beam instrument has an X-Y plane and a port for a nano-manipulator probe shaft, where the probe shaft is further capable of releasably holding a probe tip; the cassette comprising:
 a base;   at least one probe-tip station connected to the base;   the probe-tip station having a slot for receiving a probe tip;   the probe-tip slot having an angle with respect to the base substantially equal to the angle of the port for the nano-manipulator probe shaft relative to the X-Y plane of the charged particle beam instrument;   a clamp;
 the clamp partially surrounding the slot; 
 the clamp having a plurality of springy fingers for receiving and releasably holding the probe tip in the slot. 
   
     
     
         2 . The cassette of  claim 1  comprising a plurality of probe-tip stations. 
     
     
         3 . The cassette of  claim 1 , where the probe tip to be received has a collar; the cassette further comprising:
 the springy fingers of the clamp being sized to receive and releasably hold the collar of the probe tip in the slot.   
     
     
         4 . The cassette of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 the collar having a flat portion;   at least one springy finger of the clamp configured with a flat corresponding to the flat of the collar.   
     
     
         5 . The cassette of  claim 1 , where the slot is defined by a saddle;
 where the saddle is attached to the base.   
     
     
         6 . The cassette of  claim 1  where each probe tip station comprises a cavity in the base;
 the cavity sized to receive the clamp. 
 
     
     
         7 . The cassette of  claim 6  where the clamp is removably held in the cavity by screws. 
     
     
         8 . The cassette of  claim 1 , where the slot is defined by a saddle; the cassette further comprising:
 the saddle and the clamp being integral with the exception of a gap between the saddle and the springy fingers of the clamp.   
     
     
         9 . A cassette for holding probe tips inside a charged particle beam instrument, where the charged particle beam instrument a port for a nano-manipulator probe shaft, where the probe shaft is further capable of releasably holding a probe tip; the probe tip having a collar; the cassette comprising:
 a base;   at least one probe-tip station connected to the base;   the probe-tip station having a slot for receiving a probe tip;   a clamp;
 the clamp partially surrounding the slot; 
 the clamp having a plurality of springy fingers for receiving and releasably holding the collar of the probe tip in the slot; 
   the probe-tip station having a cavity in the base,
 where the cavity is sized to receive and releaseably hold the clamp. 
   
     
     
         10 . The cassette of  claim 9  comprising a plurality of probe-tip stations. 
     
     
         11 . The cassette of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 the collar having a flat portion;   at least one springy finger of the clamp configured with a flat corresponding to the flat of the collar.   
     
     
         12 . The cassette of  claim 9 , where the slot is defined by a saddle;
 where the saddle is attached to the base.   
     
     
         13 . The cassette of  claim 9  where the clamp is removably held in the cavity by screws.