Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A kit for preparing TEM sample holders, the kit comprising:at least one TEM coupon;the TEM coupon having a TEM sample holder form; and,a press, for joining a probe-tip point to the TEM coupon and for cutting a TEM sample holder from the coupon. 2. The kit of claim 1, where the coupon further comprises:a sheet of material; and,one or more paths through the sheet from the TEM sample holder form to the edge of the sheet. 3. The kit of claim 2, where the sheet comprises a metal, selected from the group consisting of copper, molybdenum, gold, silver, nickel and beryllium. 4. The kit of claim 2 where the sheet has surface corrugations. 5. The kit of claim 1 where the coupon further comprises alignment holes, for aligning the coupon in a press. 6. The kit of claim 1 further comprising:at least one hole in the coupon defining the outer boundary of a TEM sample holder form;the hole having a mouth;the mouth of the hole defining a land of material;the land connecting the TEM sample holder form to the sheet; and,at least one path through the sheet connecting the hole to the edge of the sheet. 7. The kit of claim 6, where the hole has a C-shape. 8. The kit of claim 6, where the TEM sample holder has a rectangular shape. 9. The kit of claim 1, where the press further comprises:an outer die;an inner die situated inside the outer die;a former rod opposing the inner and outer dies;a shear punch situated coaxially with the former rod;a hold-down spring biasing the former rod toward the inner die; and,an actuator for driving the shear punch toward the inner and outer dies. 10. The kit of claim 9, further comprising:teeth in the former rod for flowing the TEM sample holder material around the probe-tip point. 11. The kit of claim 10 where the press further comprises:an adjustment for setting the force of the hold-down spring against the former rod, so that the former rod applies sufficient force to ensure that the probe-tip point is embedded in the TEM sample holder form. 12. The kit of claim 9 where the actuator is pneumatic. 13. The kit of claim 10 further comprising:at least one hole in the coupon defining the outer boundary of a TEM sample holder form;the hole having a mouth;the mouth of the hole defining a land of material;the land connecting the TEM sample holder form to the sheet; and,at least one path through the sheet connecting the hole to the edge of the sheet; and,where the shear punch is sized to sever the land and cut an opening in the TEM sample holder form; thereby forming a TEM sample holder with one or more probe-tip points embedded therein. 14. The kit of claim 13 where the severance of the land and the cutting of the opening are simultaneous. 15. A kit for preparing TEM sample holders, the kit comprising:at least one TEM coupon; where the TEM coupon further comprises:a TEM sample holder form; and,one or more paths through the coupon from the TEM sample holder form to the edge of the coupon;at least one hole in the coupon defining the outer boundary of the TEM sample holder form;the hole having a mouth;the mouth of the hole defining a land of material;the land connecting the TEM sample holder form to the coupon;at least one probe tip, the probe tip having a probe-tip point; and,a press, where the press further comprises:an outer die;an inner die situated inside the outer die;a former rod opposing the inner and outer dies;a shear punch situated coaxially with the former rod;a hold-down spring biasing the former rod toward the inner die; and,an actuator for driving the shear punch toward the inner and outer dies;where the shear punch is sized to sever the land and cut an opening in the TEM sample holder form; thereby forming a TEM sample holder with one or more probe-tip points embedded therein.