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:
Jul. 29, 2014
Filed:
Jul. 24, 2013
Gatan, Inc., Pleasanton, CA (US);
Steven Thomas Coyle, Alameda, CA (US);
John Andrew Hunt, Fremont, CA (US);
Michael Patrick Hassel-Shearer, Little Haseley, GB;
Gatan Inc., Pleasanton, CA (US);
Abstract
Disclosed are embodiments of an ion beam sample preparation apparatus and methods. The apparatus has disposed in a vacuum chamber at least one tilting ion beam irradiating means with intensity control, a rotation stage with rotation control, a sample holder, and an adjustable positioning stage that has two axes of positional adjustment that are operable to move the region of the sample being prepared by the ion beam relative to the ion beam. The apparatus may also include a vacuum-tight optical window for observing the sample and a shutter for protecting the optical window from debris while the sample is prepared in the ion beam.