Fei Comapny

Andreas Theodorus Engelen

Rudolf Johannes Peter Gerardus Schampers

Johannes Antonius Hendricus Wilhelmus Gerardus Persoon

Johannes A H W G Persoon

Mathijs Petrus Wilhelmus Van Den Boogaard

Michael Frederick Hayles

Johannes Antonius Hendricus W G Persoon

Siegfried Lichtenegger

Ruud Schampers

Petrus Henricus Joannes Van Dooren

Rudolf Johannes Perer Gerardus Schampers

Ron Van Den Boogaard

Johannes Persoon

Johannes Antonius Hendricus Persoon

The invention relates to a charged particle microscope (CPM) that at least includes a sample holder, for holding a sample, and a manipulator device arranged for transferring a lamella created in said sample out of said sample, wherein said manipulator device comprises a first elongated manipulator member with a first outer end, and a second elongated manipulator member with a second outer end. The outer ends are movable for mechanically gripping and releasing said lamella. In embodiments, the elongated manipulator members comprise off-set parts that increase manoeuvrability, accessibility, and monitorability of the manipulator device during use.

Charged particle microscope with a manipulator device, and method of preparing a specimen with said charged particle microscope

The invention relates to a method of welding a vitreous biological sample at a temperature below the glass transition temperature of approximately &#x2212;137&#xb0; C. to a micromanipulator, also kept at a temperature below the glass transition temperature. Where prior art methods used IBID with, for example, propane, or a heated needle (heated resistively or by e/g/laser), the invention uses a vibrating needle to locally melt the sample. By stopping the vibration, the sample freezes to the micromanipulator. The heat capacity of the heated parts is small, and the amount of material that stays in a vitreous condition thus large.

Method of welding a frozen aqueous sample to a microprobe

The invention relates to an assembly of a cooperating capillary and cap for containing an aqueous solution in an inner volume of the capillary. The assembly is used in a high pressure freezer in which the aqueous solution is frozen at a high pressure to form an amorphous frozen sample at a cryogenic temperature. The cap forms a closure at one end of the capillary, and the part of the cap that is in contact with the inner volume of the capillary has an indent; as a result of which the cap, after freezing the aqueous solution, can be removed from the capillary and a free standing pillar of frozen aqueous material extends from the capillary.

Cooperating capillary and cap for use in a high-pressure freezer

Described is a system and method for in situ sample preparation and imaging. The system includes a multi-axis stagehaving a bulk stageand a grid stagewith various degrees of freedom to allow for sample preparation. In some embodiments, a focused ion beam system is used to prepare a lamella on the bulk stage. The lamella can then be transferred to the grid stagefrom the bulk stagewithout needing to move the multi-axis stagefrom the focused ion beam system.

Sample preparation stage

An apparatus for loading a sample into a particle-optical instrument that includes a slider bearing having a base plate in contact with the vacuum chamber at one side, said base plate showing a first through-hole in contact with the vacuum chamber, and a second plate, one side of the second plate in contact with the base plate, said second plate also showing a through-hole, where the faces of the base plate and the second plate facing each other are sufficiently smooth to form a non-elastomeric vacuum seal and where the second plate is a flexible plate and the face of the flexible plate opposite to the base plate is equipped to seal against a cup equipped to hold a sample. Preferably the through-hole in the base plate shows a rim facing the flexible plate with a controlled curvature, the curvature of the rim formed such that the vacuum seal between the base plate and the flexible plate forms on a pre-defined contour and that the Hertzian contact pressure is smaller than a pre-defined maximum contact pressure, the pre-determined maximum contact pressure chosen to minimize particle generation. By forming the second plate as a flexible plate the pressure with which the base plate and the second plate are pressed together is better reproducible than when both plates are rigid. By forming the rim with a controlled radius, particle generation is minimized.

Slider bearing for use with an apparatus comprising a vacuum chamber

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Eindhoven, Netherlands

Andreas Theodorus Engelen