Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A TEM sample holder, the TEM sample holder comprising:a ring, the ring having a circumferential gap;the circumferential gap formed by cutting the circumferential gap from a TEM sample holder form. 2. The TEM sample holder of claim 1, where:the ring is defined by a hole in a coupon for preparing a TEM sample holder;the hole having a mouth;where the gap is formed by cutting the circumferential gap from a TEM sample holder form at the mouth of the hole, so as to allow FIB milling of the top surface of a sample. 3. The TEM sample holder of claim 1, where:the ring is defined by a hole in a coupon for preparing a TEM sample holder;the hole having a mouth;where the gap is formed by cutting the circumferential gap from a TEM sample holder form at a location approximately opposite the mouth of the hole, so as to allow FIB milling of the bottom surface of a sample. 4. The TEM sample holder form of claim 1, where the cutting of the TEM sample holder form comprises pressing the TEM sample holder form between two dies. 5. The TEM sample holder of claim 1, further comprising:one or more probe-tip points embedded in the ring. 6. The TEM sample holder of claim 5, where the probe-tip points are embedded in the ring by applying pressure to the ring and the probe-tip points, so as to cause plastic flow of the ring about the probe-tip points. 7. The TEM sample holder of claim 5, where the one or more probe-tip points are attached to the ring by welding. 8. The TEM sample holder of claim 5, where the one or more probe-tip points are attached to the ring by chemical-vapor deposition. 9. The TEM sample holder of claim 5, where the one or more probe-tip points are attached to the ring by adhesive. 10. The TEM sample holder of claim 5, where the surface of the sample holder has corrugations for locking the one or more probe-tip points to the ring. 11. The TEM sample holder of claim 10, where the corrugations are periodic, having a period approximately the same or less than the diameter of the one or more probe tip points. 12. A TEM sample holder, the TEM sample holder comprising:a ring, the ring having an approximately rectangular shape;the ring having a circumferential gap;the circumferential gap formed by cutting the circumferential gap from a TEM sample holder form. 13. The TEM sample holder of claim 12, where:the ring is defined by a hole in a coupon for preparing a TEM sample holder;the hole having a mouth;where the gap is formed by cutting the circumferential gap from a TEM sample holder form at the mouth of the hole, so as to allow FIB milling of the top surface of a sample. 14. The TEM sample holder of claim 12, where:the ring is defined by a hole in a coupon for preparing a TEM sample holder;the hole having a mouth;where the gap is formed by cutting the circumferential gap from a TEM sample holder form at a location approximately opposite the mouth of the hole, so as to allow FIB milling of the bottom surface of a sample. 15. The TEM sample holder form of claim 12, where the cutting of the TEM sample holder form comprises pressing the TEM sample holder form between two dies. 16. The TEM sample holder of claim 12, further comprising:one or more probe-tip points embedded in the ring. 17. The TEM sample holder of claim 16, where the one or more probe-tip points are embedded in the ring by applying pressure to the ring and the probe-tip points, so as to cause plastic flow of the ring about the probe-tip points. 18. The TEM sample holder of claim 16, where the one or more probe-tip points are attached to the ring by welding. 19. The TEM sample holder of claim 16, where the one or more probe-tip points are attached to the ring by chemical-vapor deposition. 20. The TEM sample holder of claim 16, where the one or more probe-tip points are attached to the ring by adhesive. 21. The TEM sample holder of claim 16, where the surface of the sample holder has corrugations for locking the one or more probe-tip points to the ring. 22. The TEM sample holder of claim 21, where the corrugations are periodic, having a period approximately the same or less than the diameter of the one or more probe tip points. 23. A TEM sample holder, the TEM sample holder comprising:a sheet of material;the sheet of material having substantially rectangular dimensions;an opening in the sheet of material;a path through the sheet of material;the path connecting the opening to the edge of the sheet,thereby forming a TEM sample holder form allowing for FIB milling of a sample within the opening. 24. The TEM sample holder of claim 23, further comprising:one or more probe-tip points embedded in the sheet of material. 25. The TEM sample holder of claim 24, where the probe-tip points are embedded in the sheet of material by applying pressure to the sheet of material and the probe-tip points, so as to cause plastic flow of the sheet of material about the probe-tip points. 26. The TEM sample holder of claim 24, where the one or more probe-tip points are attached to the sheet of material by welding. 27. The TEM sample holder of claim 24, where the one or more probe-tip points are attached to the sheet of material by chemical-vapor deposition. 28. The TEM sample holder of claim 24, where the one or more probe-tip points are attached to the sheet of material by adhesive. 29. The TEM sample holder of claim 24, where the surface of the sample holder has corrugations for locking the one or more probe-tip points to the sheet of material. 30. The TEM sample holder of claim 29, where the corrugations are periodic, having a period approximately the same or less than the diameter of the one or more probe tip points. 31. The TEM sample holder of claim 23 further comprising:a plurality of openings in the sheet;a plurality of paths through the sheet;each path connecting an opening to the edge of the sheet.