Abstract: A method of thinning a cut electron transparent membrane used in transmission electron microscopy is disclosed. An electron transparent thin film membrane is cut from a sample that is positioned within a focused ion beam device by focusing an ion beam in a predetermined direction onto the sample to mill the sample and cut the transparent thin film membrane from the sample. The membrane is mounted onto a transmission electron microscope grid having a mesh surface and carbon coating. It is mounted in a vertical orientation onto a support stage of a focused ion beam device such that the membrane is mounted vertically and parallel with the incident focused ion beam produced by the focused ion beam device. The support stage is tilted a predetermined amount to orient the membrane at an angle incident to the focused ion beam. The ion beam is focused at a glancing angle into a predetermined portion of the membrane for thinning the membrane by cutting a thin portion from the membrane.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and a method of manufacturing that apparatus. More specifically, to a method of manufacturing probes for a stylus nanoprofilometer having a non-circular probe tip geometry and a method of measurement of semiconductor wafer features using the same. In one embodiment, the probe comprises an upper portion couplable to the stylus nanoprofilometer and a probative portion coupled to the upper portion. The probative portion has a cross section that is substantially thinner than a cross section of the upper portion. The probative portion further has a terminus distal the upper portion and a reentrant angle from the terminus to the upper portion.