The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 18, 2005
Filed:
Oct. 15, 2003
Trung T. Doan, Pflugerville, TX (US);
Trung T. Doan, Pflugerville, TX (US);
Micron Tchnology, Inc., Boise, ID (US);
Abstract
The present disclosure provides methods for preparing samples for atom probe analysis and methods for analyzing such samples. In one exemplary implementation, a surface of the sample may be positioned with respect to a laser source and laser energy may be directed from the laser source toward the sample surface, removing material from the sample to define an annulus about a sample column. The sample column may be provided with a reduced-diameter apex at its outward end, e.g., by etching. This apex may be juxtaposed with an electrode of an atom probe and material may be selectively removed from the apex for analysis by controlling energy delivered to the apex, e.g., by the electrode.