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:
Feb. 28, 2006
Filed:
Jun. 08, 2004
Hendrik Gezinus Tappel, Casteren, NL;
Hendrik Gezinus Tappel, Casteren, NL;
FEI Company, Hillsboro, OR (US);
Abstract
In the semiconductor industry, microscopic samples are cut out of substrates for purposes of analysis. In the case of a known method, a sample to be cut loose out of a substrate is attached to a sample carrier connected to a manipulator and the sample is cut loose from the substrate. Subsequently, the sample is fixed to a TEM grid and completely separated from the sample carrier. According to the invention, the sample carrieris left in connection with the sampleand the sample carrieris separated from the manipulator. By making the sample carrierconnected to the samplemuch bigger than the (microscopic) sample, and by manipulating the sample carrier, manipulation—with the aid of a (macroscopic) manipulator—of the microscopic sampleattached thereto becomes easier than manipulating the samplewithout the sample carrierattached thereto. In addition, a mechanical coupling between manipulatorand sample carrieris shown, which enables a great degree of automation.