Patent ID: 6946064

Claim:
A sample processing apparatus comprising: a vacuum enclosure; a focused ion beam tool within said vacuum enclosure; a sputter target within said vacuum enclosure; and a hinged mount within said vacuum enclosure, wherein said hinged mount comprises: a sample mounting portion adapted to hold a sample being processed in said vacuum enclosure; a counterweight portion connected to said sample mounting portion and being positioned at an approximate right angle to said sample mounting portion; and an axis around which said mount rotates, wherein said axis passes through said sample mounting portion and said counterweight portion at a location where said sample mounting portion and said counterweight portion connect to one another, wherein, when said hinged mount is in a first position, said sample mounting surface lies perpendicular to the ion beam, and wherein, when said hinged mount is in a second position, said sample mounting surface is parallel to the ion beam and in sufficient proximity to said sputter target to permit material deposition on a sample positioned on said sample mounting portion.