Abstract: The substrates supported in substrate holders are carried on holder carriers in a manner, that their extended surfaces are exposed to the surrounding atmosphere along an extended surface of the holder carriers. The holder carriers include an axis traverse to their extended surface. The substrates on a holder carrier are vacuum treated in a vacuum treatment chamber. This chamber communicates via a gate valve with a transfer vacuum chamber. A holder carrier with substrates in the vacuum treatment chamber is exchanged with a holder carrier carrying untreated substrates from the transfer vacuum chamber 23 by means of an exchange robot. During treatment in the vacuum treatment chamber, holder carriers with treated substrates and holder carriers with untreated substrates are exchanged in the transfer vacuum chamber through a gate valve. The transfer vacuum chamber acts as a load-lock.

Abstract: A probe (1) for electron microscopy is cut from a solid material. A sample surface (3) is configured on the same, which is treated with an ion beam (J) at a predetermined angle of incidence such that the material is ablated from the sample surface (3) by means of etching until the desired observation surface (20) is exposed on the sample (1) in the region of the incidence zone (4) of the ion beam (J), which enables the viewing (12) of the desired region of the sample (1) using an electron microscope. For this purpose, at least two stationary ion beams (J1, J2) are guided onto the sample surface (3) at a predetermined angle (?) in alignment with each other such that the ion beams (J1, J2) at least come in contact with each other on the sample surface (3), or cross each other, and form an incidence zone (4) in that location, and that both the sample (1) and the ion beams (J1, J2) are not moved, and thus are operated in a stationary manner.

Abstract: A probe (1) for electron microscopy is cut from a solid material. A sample surface (3) is configured on the same, which is treated with an ion beam (J) at a predetermined angle of incidence such that the material is ablated from the sample surface (3) by means of etching until the desired observation surface (20) is exposed on the sample (1) in the region of the incidence zone (4) of the ion beam (J), which enables the viewing (12) of the desired region of the sample (1) using an electron microscope.