Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A cooling apparatus (101) for a sample in an ion beam etching process, comprising:a sample stage (102) for receiving the sample;a coolant receptacle (120) containing a coolant;a cooling finger (105) connectable to the coolant receptacle (120), the cooling finger (105) including a conduit (130, 131) through which the coolant can flow when the cooling finger is connected to the coolant receptacle (120);at least one thermal conduction element (106a, 106b) connecting the sample stage (102) to the coolant in the cooling finger (105) in heat-transmitting fashion such that heat is transferred from the sample stage (102) to the coolant, wherein the thermal conduction element is fabricated of a metal;an evaporator block (109) for evaporating the coolant flowing out of the cooling finger (105), wherein the conduit (130, 131) of the cooling finger (105) opens into the evaporator block (109);a heating element (119) for heating at least the evaporator block (109); anda temperature regulation device for regulating the temperature of the evaporator block (109), wherein a signal corresponding to the temperature of the evaporator block is delivered to the temperature regulation device and the temperature regulation device regulates the temperature of the evaporator block (109) to a definable value, wherein the temperature regulation device is operable to regulate the temperature of the sample stage (102) and the temperature of the evaporator block (109) with the heating element (119) to a temperature value at which condensation of atmospheric moisture from ambient air onto the sample is prevented after completion of the ion beam etching operation. 2. The cooling apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a means (121) for controlling the coolant flow. 3. The cooling apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the means for controlling the coolant flow includes a coolant pump (121). 4. The cooling apparatus according claim 1, wherein the cooling finger (105) has an outer wall and an inner wall spaced from the outer wall. 5. The cooling apparatus according claim 1, further comprising:a mask holder device (103);a mask (104) held by the mask holder device (103), the sample being positionable relative to the mask; andat least one further thermal conduction element (106c) extending from the cooling finger (105) to the mask holder device (103). 6. The cooling apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:a temperature measuring means (118) for measuring the temperature of the evaporator block (109). 7. The cooling apparatus according claim 1, further comprising at least one of:a temperature measuring means (122) for measuring the temperature of the sample stage (102); anda heating element (116) for heating the sample stage (102). 8. The cooling apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a signal corresponding to the temperature of the sample stage is delivered to the temperature regulation device and the temperature regulation device regulates the temperature of the sample stage (102) to a second definable value. 9. The cooling apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a heating element (116) associated with the sample stage (102), wherein the temperature regulation device regulates the temperature of the sample stage (102) to the definable value via the heating element (116). 10. The cooling apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a coolant pump (121) for controlling the coolant flow, wherein the temperature regulation device regulates the temperature of the evaporator block (109) to the definable value by adjusting a pump rotation speed of the coolant pump (121). 11. The cooling apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a coolant pump (121) for controlling the coolant flow, wherein the temperature regulation device regulates the temperature of the sample stage (102) to the second definable value by adjusting a pump rotation speed of the coolant pump (121). 12. A method for adjusting temperature of a sample in an ion beam etching operation, comprising the steps of:(a) mounting a sample on a coolable sample stage (102) of an ion beam etching apparatus, the sample stage (102) having a cooling apparatus associated therewith comprising a coolant receptacle (120) containing a coolant, a cooling finger (105) connectable to the coolant receptacle (120) and including a conduit (130, 131) through which the coolant can flow when the cooling finger is connected to the coolant receptacle (120), and at least one thermal conduction element (106a, 106b) fabricated of a metal connecting the sample stage (102) to the coolant in the cooling finger (105) in heat-transmitting fashion such that heat is transferred from the sample stage (102) to the coolant;(b) aligning the sample on the sample stage (102); and(c) cooling the sample by directing the coolant through the conduit (130, 131) of the cooling finger (105) to establish a desired temperature for the ion beam etching operation, wherein the coolant is a liquefied gas and wherein the conduit (130, 131) of the cooling finger (105) opens into an evaporator block (109) for evaporating the coolant flowing out of the cooling finger (105), and wherein a flow rate of the coolant is adjusted so that the coolant flowing through the evaporator block (109) emerges from the evaporator block (109) in gaseous form. 13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of:(d) terminating the cooling of the sample after termination of the ion beam etching operation. 14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of:(e) heating the sample to a temperature at which condensation of atmospheric moisture from ambient air onto the sample is prevented after step (d). 15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the sample is aligned relative to a mask (104), the mask (104) being cooled and heated along with the cooling of the sample in step (c) and the heating of the sample in step (e). 16. The method according to claim 12, wherein the desired temperature is held constant during the ion beam etching operation. 17. The method according to claim 12, wherein the coolant is selected from the group of coolants consisting of liquid nitrogen and liquid air. 18. A cooling apparatus (101) for a sample in an ion beam etching process, comprising:a sample stage (102) for receiving the sample;a coolant receptacle (120) containing a coolant;a cooling finger (105) connectable to the coolant receptacle (120), the cooling finger (105) including a conduit (130, 131) through which the coolant can flow when the cooling finger is connected to the coolant receptacle (120);at least one thermal conduction element (106a, 106b) connecting the sample stage (102) to the coolant in the cooling finger (105) in heat-transmitting fashion such that heat is transferred from the sample stage (102) to the coolant;a mask holder device (103);a mask (104) held by the mask holder device (103), the sample being positionable relative to the mask; andat least one further thermal conduction element (106c) extending from the cooling finger (105) to the mask holder device (103), wherein the thermal conduction elements are fabricated of a metal that is in direct contact with the cooling finger.