Patent ID: 8653489

Claim:
An ion beam sample preparation apparatus comprising: (a) an ion beam irradiating means disposed in a vacuum chamber and directing an ion beam toward a shield; said ion beam further characterized as being a broad ion beam; (b) a shield retention stage disposed in the vacuum chamber; said shield retention stage comprising: i. a first datum feature; ii. a second datum feature; iii. a shield retention means having at least a shield releasing position and a shield retaining position; (c) the shield having at least a rigid planar portion, removeably and replaceably held in said shield retention stage, said shield further comprising: i. a proximal sample surface configured to durably adhere the sample to the shield; ii. a first shielding surface disposed in the path of the ion beam and positioned to shield a portion of the ion beam directed at the sample when said shield is held in the shield retaining position of the shield retention means; iii. a third datum feature formed integrally with said shield, wherein said shield retention means in said shield retaining position urges said third datum feature to abut said first datum feature; and, iv. a fourth datum feature formed integrally with said shield, wherein said shield retention means in said shield retaining position urges said fourth datum feature to abut said second datum feature.