Patent ID: 6300631
Filing Date: 2001-10-09
Classification: G01N,G21K,H01J

Abstract:
A method of thinning a cut electron transparent membrane used in transmission electron microscopy comprising the steps of:cutting an electron transparent thin film membrane from a sample that is positioned within a focused ion beam device by focusing an ion beam in predetermined directions onto the sample to mill the Sample and cut the electron transparent thin film membrane from the sample;lifting-out the cut electron transparent thin film membrane from the Sample;mounting the membrane after it has been lifted-out from the sample onto a transmission electron microscope grid having a mesh surface and carbon coating;mounting the transmission electron microscope grid in a vertical orientation onto a support stage of a focused ion beam device such that the membrane is mounted vertically and parallel with the incident focused ion beam produced by the focused ion beam device;tilting the Support stage about 5 degrees to about 15 degrees to orient the membrane at an angle incident to the focused ion beam such that said focused ion beam will not strike said transmission electron grid; andfocusing the ion beam at the glancing angle of about 5 degrees to about 15 degrees into a predetermined portion of the membrane for thinning the membrane by cutting a thin portion from the membrane.