Patent ID: 8258473

Claim:
A method for in-situ lift-out preparation of samples for electron microscopy in a microscopy chamber having at least one viewing window, using a micro gripping and manipulation device and a microprobe assembly having an adhesive or a spring loaded locking clip at an end, the method comprising: a) placing a wafer, microprobe assemblies and a support grid into an electron microscopy chamber; b) placing the microscopy chamber under vacuum; c) grasping the microprobe assembly with the micro gripping and manipulation device; d) creating a sample membrane by etching out portions of the wafer using an ion beam; e) using the micro gripping and manipulation device to move the microprobe assembly so that the adhesive or spring loaded locking clip will touch and attach to the sample membrane; f) severing the sample membrane from the wafer; g) moving the microprobe assembly with the attached sample membrane to the support grid, so that the sample membrane is over a viewing window; i) securing the microprobe assembly to the support grid; and j) releasing the microprobe assembly from the micro gripping and manipulation device.