Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. An apparatus for simultaneous parallel processing of a sample using light energy for optical viewing or surface processing in parallel with a charged particle beam comprising:a charged particle beam generator for transmitting a charged particle beam along a path to a sample; anda first solid rod lens having a light energy delivery apparatus comprising a light energy source for transmitting light energy along a first path to the sample, a prism having an internal reflective surface aligned along the first light energy path to reflect light energy into a second light energy path toward the sample, a portion of the prism and reflective surface being removed for passage of the charged particle beam, a lens adapted to be aligned along the second light energy path and having a portion removed therefrom for passage of the charged particle beam, the removed portions of the prism and lens adapted to be aligned along the charged particle beam path to permit parallel delivery of the charged particle beam through the removed portions of the prism and the lens and of the second light energy path through the lens and onto substantially the same portion of the sample;a second solid rod lens; andan optical path for transmitting light energy reflected from the sample through the lens and reflected off the prism into the second solid rod lens towards a light energy detector. 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the light energy delivery apparatus comprises an optical microscope and the lens is adapted to transmit light energy reflected from the sample, and wherein the first and second solid rod lenses are parallel to each other. 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the light energy travels from the light energy delivery apparatus along only two light energy paths comprising the first light energy path and the reflected second light energy path that is directed toward and onto the same portion of the sample as the charged particle beam. 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the light energy delivery apparatus is adapted to deliver a light energy to the sample for surface processing of the sample by a light energy induced reaction. 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the light energy delivery apparatus includes a combination of a light energy delivery system for surface processing and an optical microscope. 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lens has an opening in a center portion thereof aligned along the charged particle beam path for passage of the charged particle beam toward the sample. 7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lens has a substantially circular opening in a center portion thereof aligned along the charged particle beam path for passage of the charged particle beam toward the sample. 8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lens has a slot extending from an edge toward a center portion thereof, the slot being aligned along the charged particle beam path for passage of the charged particle beam toward the sample. 9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lens has approximately half of the lens removed, the removed portion being aligned along the charged particle beam path for passage of the charged particle beam toward the sample. 10. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a motion stage attached to the light energy delivery apparatus for moving the prism and lens into an out of the path of the charged particle beam. 11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the charged particle beam generator is an ion beam generator and the charged particle beam is a focused ion beam. 12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the charged particle beam generator is an electron beam generator and the charged particle beam is an electron beam. 13. A method for simultaneous parallel processing of a sample using light energy for optical viewing or surface processing in parallel with a charged particle beam comprising:providing a charged particle beam generator for transmitting a charged particle beam along a path to a sample;providing a first solid rod lens having a light energy delivery apparatus comprising a light energy source for transmitting light energy along a first path to the sample, a prism having an internal reflective surface aligned along the first light energy path to reflect light energy into a second light energy path toward the sample, a portion of the prism and reflective surface being removed for passage of the charged particle beam, a lens adapted to be aligned along the second light energy path and having a portion removed therefrom for passage of the charged particle beam, the removed portions of the prism and lens adapted to be aligned along the charged particle beam path to permit parallel delivery of the charged particle beam and the light energy to substantially the same portion of the sample;providing a second solid rod lens;delivering light energy through the first solid rod lens from the light energy source of the light energy delivery apparatus through the first light energy path, and reflecting the light energy from the prism reflective surface to the second light energy path, through the lens and onto a portion of the sample;simultaneously transmitting a charged particle beam from the charged particle beam generator along a path through the removed portions of the prism and lens to substantially the same portion of the sample as the light energy; andtransmitting reflected light energy from the sample through the lens and reflecting the reflected light energy off the prism into the second solid rod lens towards a light energy detector. 14. The method of claim 13 wherein the lens has a portion removed from a central optical axis of the lens, and including transmitting the charged particle beam through the lens central optical axis. 15. The method of claim 13 wherein the lens has a substantially circular opening in a center portion thereof aligned along the charged particle beam path, and including transmitting the charged particle beam through the lens circular opening. 16. The method of claim 13 wherein the lens has a slot extending from an edge toward a center portion thereof, and including transmitting the charged particle beam through the lens slot. 17. The method of claim 13 wherein the lens has approximately half of the lens removed, and including transmitting the charged particle beam through the lens half-removed portion. 18. The method of claim 13 wherein the light energy delivery apparatus comprises an optical microscope, and wherein the lens transmits light energy reflected from the sample, and wherein the first and second solid rod lenses are parallel to each other. 19. The method of claim 13 wherein the light energy travels from the light energy delivery apparatus along only two light energy paths comprising the first light energy path and the reflected second light energy path that is directed toward and onto the same portion of the sample as the charged particle beam. 20. The method of claim 13 wherein the light energy delivery apparatus delivers light energy to the sample for surface processing of the sample by a light energy induced reaction.