Abstract: Implanting a material in a pattern hardens the material in the pattern for subsequent etching. When the region is etched, by ion beam sputtering, chemically enhanced charged particle beam etching, or chemical etching, a thicker structure remains because of the reduced etch rate of the hardened pattern. The invention is particularly useful for the preparation of thin lamella for viewing on a transmission electron microscope.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of performing tomographic imaging involving repeatedly directing a charged particle beam through a sample for a series of sample tilts to acquire a corresponding set of images and mathematically combining the images to construct a composite image. The latter of which consists of, at each of a second series of sample tilts, using a spectral detector to accrue a spectral map of said sample, thus acquiring a collection of spectral maps; analyzing said spectral maps to derive compositional data of the sample; and employing said compositional data in constructing said composite image.

Abstract: A system and method for transmission electron microscopy is provided. The sample can be examined from multiple directions using an electron beam in a transmission electron microscope. The sample has at least three observation faces that are not parallel to each other with the thickness of the sample orthogonal to each of the observation faces being less than 200 nm. The sample is mounted on a needle that is needle rotatable about more than one axis so the needle can orient at least three of the observation faces to be normal to the electron beam of the electron microscope for observation.

Abstract: A system and method for transmission electron microscopy is provided. The sample can be examined from multiple directions using an electron beam in a transmission electron microscope. The sample has at least three observation faces that are not parallel to each other with the thickness of the sample orthogonal to each of the observation faces being less than 200 nm. The sample is mounted on a needle that is needle rotatable about more than one axis so the needle can orient at least three of the observation faces to be normal to the electron beam of the electron microscope for observation.

Abstract: Implanting a material in a pattern hardens the material in the pattern for subsequent etching. When the region is etched, by ion beam sputtering, chemically enhanced charged particle beam etching, or chemical etching, a thicker structure remains because of the reduced etch rate of the hardened pattern. The invention is particularly useful for the preparation of thin lamella for viewing on a transmission electron microscope.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of preparing and imaging a sample using a particle-optical apparatus, equipped with an electron column and an ion beam column, a camera system, a manipulator. The method comprises the steps of deriving a first ptychographic image of the sample from a first electron image, thinning the sample, and forming a second ptychographic image of the sample. In an embodiment of the invention the seed image used for the second image is the first ptychographic image. In another embodiment the second ptychographic image is the image of the layer removed during the thinning. In another embodiment the inner potential of the sample is determined and dopant concentrations are determined.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of performing tomographic imaging involving repeatedly directing a charged particle beam through a sample for a series of sample tilts to acquire a corresponding set of images and mathematically combining the images to construct a composite image. The latter of which consists of, at each of a second series of sample tilts, using a spectral detector to accrue a spectral map of said sample, thus acquiring a collection of spectral maps; analyzing said spectral maps to derive compositional data of the sample; and employing said compositional data in constructing said composite image.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of preparing and imaging a sample using a particle-optical apparatus, equipped with an electron column and an ion beam column, a camera system, a manipulator. The method comprising comprises the steps of deriving a first ptychographic image of the sample from a first electron image, thinning the sample, and forming a second ptychographic image of the sample. In an embodiment of the invention the seed image used for the second image is the first ptychografic image. In another embodiment the second ptychographic image is the image of the layer removed during the thinning. In another embodiment the inner potential of the sample is determined and dopant concentrations are determined.