Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A device for the selective removal of material from a specimen utilizing ion impingement, comprising:a vacuum chamber;an ion source module mounted within said vacuum chamber, said ion source module capable of generating at least one beam of ions from an inert gas having an effective energy selectable from 10 eV to 1 keV within a beam diameter of less than 0.5 mm; anda stage for supporting and manipulating said specimen within said vacuum chamber for selective impingement of said at least one beam of ions upon said specimen under vacuum. 2. A device as described in claim 1, wherein said ion source further comprises separable ion generating source and lens components. 3. A device as described in claim 2, wherein said ion generating source component further comprises at least one circumferential electrode through which the ions are passed. 4. A device as described in claim 3, wherein said at least one circumferential electrode further comprises a wehnelt electrode. 5. A device as described in claim 3, wherein said at least one circumferential electrode further comprises at least one constraining electrode for maintaining the path of the ions to a lens component. 6. A device as described in claim 2, wherein said lens component further comprises at least one electrified segment and at least one ground segment. 7. A device as described in claim 6, wherein said lens component further comprises at least one deflecting segment for modifying the path of the ion beam. 8. A device as described in claim 7, wherein said deflected beam may be rastered across the surface of the specimen. 9. A device as described in claim 1, wherein said ion beam diameter is within the range of 1 μm to 0.5 mm. 10. A device as described in claim 9, wherein said ion beam diameter is approximately 20 μm. 11. A device as described in claim 1, wherein said ion beam diameter is approximately 20 μm with a beam energy in the range of 10 eV to 6 keV. 12. A device as described in claim 11, wherein said ion beam diameter is approximately 20 μm with a beam energy in the range of 10 eV to 1 keV. 13. A device as described in claim 1, wherein said device further comprises a load lock. 14. A device as described in claim 13, wherein said load lock further comprises a load lock vacuum chamber which can be evacuated and vented separately from said vacuum chamber of said device. 15. A device as described in claim 13, wherein said load lock provides access to said specimen stage external to said device while said specimen stage is in a load position. 16. A device as described in claim 15, wherein said load lock provides access to said specimen stage external to said device while said specimen stage is in a load position and a vacuum condition is maintained within said vacuum chamber. 17. A device as described in claim 1, wherein said specimen stage in a load position provides a seal for said vacuum chamber. 18. A device as described in claim 1, further comprising a cooling system for reducing the temperature of the specimen and specimen stage. 19. A device as described in claim 18, wherein said cooling system further comprises a reservoir of cooling medium. 20. A device as described in claim 19, wherein said cooling medium is selectively thermally connected to said specimen stage. 21. A device as described in claim 19, wherein said specimen stage may be selectively disengaged from said cooling medium. 22. A device as described in claim 1, further comprising a vacuum pumping system. 23. A device as described in claim 22, wherein said vacuum pumping system further comprises a main pump and a roughing pump. 24. A device as described in claim 23, said main pump is a turbomolecular pump. 25. A device as described in claim 22, wherein said vacuum pumping system is oil-free. 26. A device as described in claim 23, wherein said roughing pump is in separate vacuum communication with a load lock. 27. A device as described in claim 1, further comprising at least one imaging module for observation of the specimen during milling mounted within said vacuum chamber. 28. A device as described in claim 27, wherein said at least one imaging module is selected from the group consisting of optical, electro-optical or electronic microscopic devices. 29. A device as described in claim 28, wherein said at least one imaging module is a CCD device. 30. A device as described in claim 29, wherein said CCD device is provided with zoom imaging capabilities. 31. A device as described in claim 29, wherein said CCD device is utilized in conjunction with a high energy ion source. 32. A device as described in claim 28, wherein said at least one imaging module is a secondary electron detector. 33. A device as described in claim 32, wherein said secondary electron detector is further comprised of an electrode, a scintillator and a photomultiplier tube. 34. A device as described in claim 32, wherein said secondary electron detector is utilized in conjunction with a low energy ion source. 35. A device as described in claim 1, wherein said specimen stage further comprises a heating element. 36. A device as described in claim 1, wherein said specimen stage further comprises a temperature sensor. 37. A device as described in claim 1, wherein said specimen stage further comprises a specimen holder for supporting and restraining said specimen. 38. A device as described in claim 1, wherein said specimen holder may be rotated. 39. A device as described in claim 38, wherein said specimen holder is rotated by a motor contained within said specimen stage. 40. A device as described in claim 1, wherein said specimen holder may be tilted within the range of 0 to 45 degrees with respect to the ion beam. 41. A device as described in claim 1, wherein said specimen holder is supported by said stage and said stage may be tilted. 42. A device as described in claim 1, wherein said specimen stage is supported by a positioning module. 43. A device as described in claim 42, said positioning module further comprising a support cradle. 44. A device as described in claim 43, wherein said specimen stage is slidably affixed to said support cradle. 45. A device as described in claim 43, wherein said specimen stage may be longitudinally displaced along said cradle. 46. A device as described in claim 45, wherein said positioning module further comprises a motor for longitudinally displacing said specimen stage along said cradle. 47. A device as described in claim 42, wherein said positioning module may be tilted. 48. A device as described in claim 47, wherein said positioning module further comprises a motor for tilting said specimen stage and said cradle. 49. A device as described in claim 42, wherein said positioning module further comprises at least one sensor for locating the position of said specimen stage on said cradle. 50. A device as described in claim 42, wherein said positioning module further comprises at least one sensor for identifying the tilt position of said specimen stage. 51. A device as described in claim 1, further comprising a computing device for selective operation of said device. 52. A device as described in claim 51, wherein said computing device is in electronic communication with said ion source module. 53. A device as described in claim 52, wherein said computing device is utilized to control said ion source module. 54. A device as described in claim 51, wherein said computing device is utilized to locate said specimen holder with respect to said ion source module. 55. A device as described in claim 51, wherein said computing device is utilized to displace said specimen with respect to said ion source beam of ions. 56. A device as described in claim 51, wherein said computing device is in electronic communication with at least one imaging module for observing the specimen during milling. 57. A device as described in claim 56, wherein said computing device is utilized to control said imaging module. 58. A device as described in claim 56, wherein said computing device is utilized to display the output of said imaging module. 59. A device as described in claim 51, wherein said computing device may be utilized to program an operational algorithm which automatically performs the ion milling functions of the device. 60. A device as described in claim 51, wherein said computing device may be utilized to program an operational algorithm which automatically performs the milling, imaging, vacuum and specimen manipulation functions of the device. 61. A device as described in claim 1 wherein said inert gas is argon.