Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. An ion beam sample preparation apparatus comprising:(a) an ion beam irradiating means disposed in a vacuum chamber and directing an ion beam toward a shield; said ion beam further characterized as being a broad ion beam;(b) a shield retention stage disposed in the vacuum chamber; said shield retention stage comprising:i. a first datum feature;ii. a second datum feature;iii. a shield retention means having at least a shield releasing position and a shield retaining position;(c) the shield having at least a rigid planar portion, removeably and replaceably held in said shield retention stage, said shield further comprising:i. a proximal sample surface configured to durably adhere the sample to the shield;ii. a first shielding surface disposed in the path of the ion beam and positioned to shield a portion of the ion beam directed at the sample when said shield is held in the shield retaining position of the shield retention means;iii. a third datum feature formed integrally with said shield, wherein said shield retention means in said shield retaining position urges said third datum feature to abut said first datum feature; and,iv. a fourth datum feature formed integrally with said shield, wherein said shield retention means in said shield retaining position urges said fourth datum feature to abut said second datum feature. 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the shield retention stage further comprises a fifth datum feature, and the shield further comprises a sixth datum feature formed integrally with the shield, wherein the shield retention means in said shield retaining position urges said sixth datum feature to abut said fifth datum feature. 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first shielding surface meets said proximal sample surface at an angle of less than about 90 degrees and more than about 80 degrees. 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first shielding surface meets said proximal sample surface at an angle of less than about 87 degrees and more than about 83 degrees. 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first shielding surface is made of non-magnetic material with low sputtering yield. 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the first shielding surface is made of tantalum or titanium. 7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the third datum feature is a datum surface and at least a portion of said datum surface is coextensive with at least a portion of said proximal sample surface. 8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the proximal sample surface has at least one recessed portion for the flowing of adhesive between the shield and the sample. 9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the shield further comprises a sample clamping means coupled to the shield configured to hold the sample against said proximal sample surface. 10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the shield further comprises:(a) a second shielding surface having a portion disposed in the path of a portion of the ion beam;(b) a shield edge formed where the first shielding surface meets the proximal sample surface; and,(c) a visible alignment mark on the second shielding surface, configured such that the location of said visible alignment mark is in a predetermined relationship to the region where the ion beam impinges on said shield edge when said shield is held in the shield retaining position of the shield retention means. 11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the shield is made of a cladding material joined to a core material such that a portion of the cladding material forms at least a portion of the first shielding surface, and a portion of the core material forms the third and fourth datum features of the shield. 12. An ion beam sample preparation apparatus comprising:(a) an ion beam irradiating means disposed in a vacuum chamber and directing an ion beam toward a shield; said ion beam further characterized as being a broad ion beam;(b) a rotating shield retention stage disposed in the vacuum chamber; said shield retention stage comprising:i. a first datum feature;ii. a second datum feature;iii. a shield retention means having at least a shield releasing position and a shield retaining position;iv. a rotation axis located substantially in the plane of the first datum feature;v. a rotation drive for rotating the shield retention stage around the rotation axis;(c) the shield having at least a rigid planar portion, removeably and replaceably held in said shield retention stage, said shield further comprising:i. a third datum feature formed integrally with the shield, wherein said shield retention means in said shield retaining position urges said third datum feature to abut said first datum feature;ii. a fourth datum feature formed integrally with the shield, wherein said shield retention means in said shield retaining position urges said fourth datum feature to abut said second datum feature;iii. a first shielding surface disposed in the path of the ion beam and positioned to shield a portion of the ion beam directed at the sample when said shield is held in the shield retaining position of the shield retention means;iv. a proximal sample surface configured to durably adhere the sample to the shield;v. a shield edge formed where the first shielding surface meets the proximal sample surface, wherein said shield edge is held substantially perpendicular to said rotation axis when said shield is held in the shield retaining position of the shield retention means. 13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the shield retention stage further comprises a fifth datum feature, and the shield further comprises a sixth datum feature formed integrally with the shield, wherein the shield retention means in said shield retaining position urges said sixth datum feature to abut said fifth datum feature. 14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the first shielding surface meets said proximal sample surface at an angle of less than about 90 degrees and more than about 80 degrees. 15. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the first shielding surface meets said proximal sample surface at an angle of less than about 87 degrees and more than about 83 degrees. 16. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the first shielding surface is made of non-magnetic material with low sputtering yield. 17. The apparatus of claim one wherein at least a portion of the first shielding surface is made of tantalum or titanium. 18. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the third datum feature is a datum surface and a portion of said datum surface is coextensive with a portion of said proximal sample surface. 19. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the proximal sample surface has at least one recessed portion for the flowing of adhesive between the shield and the sample. 20. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the shield further comprises a sample clamping means coupled to the shield configured to hold the sample against said proximal sample surface. 21. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the shield further comprises:(a) a second shielding surface having a portion disposed in the path of a portion of the ion beam;(b) a visible alignment mark on the second shielding surface, configured such that the location of said visible alignment mark is in a predetermined relationship to the region where the ion beam impinges on said shield edge when said shield is held in the shield retaining position of the shield retention means. 22. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the shield is made of a cladding material joined to a core material such that a portion of the cladding material forms at least a portion of the first shielding surface, and a portion of the core material forms the third and fourth datum features of the shield. 23. A kit for preparing a sample in an ion beam sample preparation device using a broad ion beam, said kit comprising:(a) a shield retention stage comprising:i. a first datum feature;ii. a second datum feature;iii. a shield retention means having at least a shield releasing position and a shield retaining position;(b) a shield having at least a rigid planar portion, removeably and replaceably held in said shield retention stage, said shield further comprising:i. a third datum feature formed integrally with said shield, wherein said shield retention means in said shield retaining position urges said third datum feature to abut said first datum feature;ii. a fourth datum feature formed integrally with said shield, wherein said shield retention means in said shield retaining position urges said fourth datum feature to abut said second datum feature;iii. a first shielding surface,iv. a proximal sample surface for durably adhering the sample to the shield. 24. The kit of claim 23 wherein the shield retention stage further comprises a fifth datum feature, and the shield further comprises a sixth datum feature formed integrally with the shield, wherein the shield retention means in said shield retaining position urges said sixth datum feature to abut said fifth datum feature. 25. The kit of claim 23 wherein the first shielding surface meets the proximal sample surface at an angle of less than about 90 degrees and more than about 80 degrees. 26. The kit of claim 23 wherein the first shielding surface meets said proximal sample surface at an angle of less than about 87 degrees and more than about 83 degrees. 27. The kit of claim 23 wherein the third datum feature is a datum surface and a portion of said datum surface is coextensive with a portion of said proximal sample surface. 28. The kit of claim 23 wherein the the first shielding surface is made of non-magnetic material with low sputtering yield. 29. The kit of claim 23 wherein at least a portion of the first shielding surface is made of tantalum or titanium. 30. The kit of claim 23 wherein the proximal sample surface has at least one recessed portion for the flowing of adhesive between the shield and the sample. 31. The kit of claim 23 wherein the shield further comprises a sample clamping means coupled to the shield configured to hold the sample against said proximal sample surface. 32. The kit of claim 23 wherein the shield further comprises:(a) a second shielding surface having a portion disposed in the path of a portion of the ion beam;(b) a shield edge formed where the first shielding surface meets the proximal sample surface; and,(c) a visible alignment mark on the second shielding surface configured such that the location of said visible alignment mark is in a predetermined relationship to the region where the ion beam impinges on said shield edge when said shield is held in the shield retaining position of the shield retention means. 33. The kit of claim 23 wherein the shield is made of a cladding material joined to a core material such that a portion of the cladding material forms at least a portion of the first shielding surface, and a portion of the core material forms the third and fourth datum features of the shield. 34. The kit of claim 23 wherein the shield retention stage and the shield are separately packaged. 35. A kit for observing in a microscope a sample prepared in an ion beam sample preparation device using a broad ion beam, said kit comprising:(a) a shield retention stage comprising:i. a first datum feature;ii. a second datum feature;iii. a shield retention means having at least a shield releasing position and a shield retaining position;(b) a shield having at least a rigid planar portion, removeably and replaceably held in said shield retention stage, said shield further comprising:i. a third datum feature formed integrally with the shield, wherein said shield retention means in said shield retaining position urges said third datum feature to abut said first datum feature;ii. a fourth datum feature formed integrally with the shield, wherein said shield retention means in said shield retaining position urges said fourth datum feature to abut said second datum feature;iii. a first shielding surface; and,iv. a proximal sample surface for durably adhering the sample to the shield. 36. The kit of claim 35 wherein the shield retention stage further comprises a fifth datum feature, and the shield further comprises a sixth datum feature formed integrally with the shield, wherein the shield retention means in said shield retaining position urges said sixth datum feature to abut said fifth datum feature. 37. The kit of claim 35 wherein the first shielding surface meets the proximal sample surface at an angle of less than about 90 degrees and more than about 80 degrees. 38. The kit of claim 35 wherein the first shielding surface meets said proximal sample surface at an angle of less than about 87 degrees and more than about 83 degrees. 39. The kit of claim 35 wherein the third datum feature is a datum surface and a portion of said datum surface is coextensive with a portion of said proximal sample surface. 40. The kit of claim 35 wherein the shield is made of non-magnetic material with low sputtering yield. 41. The kit of claim 35 wherein at least a portion of the shield is made of tantalum or titanium. 42. The kit of claim 35 wherein the proximal sample surface has at least one recessed portion for the flowing of adhesive between the shield and the sample. 43. The kit of claim 35 wherein the shield further comprises a sample clamping means coupled to the shield configured to hold the sample against said proximal sample surface. 44. The kit of claim 35 wherein the shield further comprises:(a) a shield edge formed where the first shielding surface meets the proximal sample surface; and,(b) a visible alignment mark configured such that the location of said visible alignment mark is in a predetermined relationship to the region where the sample was prepared by the ion beam sample preparation device. 45. The kit of claim 35 wherein the shield is made of a cladding material joined to a core material such that a portion of the cladding material forms at least a portion of the first shielding surface, and a portion of the core material forms the third and fourth datum features of the shield. 46. The kit of claim 35 wherein the shield retention stage and the shield are separately packaged.