The invention relates to a method of preparing a sample for analysis. The method comprises: providing a sample comprising a surface region of interest on a first face of the sample and a second face oriented at an angle to the first face about a common edge between the first and second faces, the second face extending between the common edge and a second edge on the opposing side of the second face of the sample; and milling the second face of the sample to provide a trench in the surface of the second face, the trench extending from a first position on the second face between the common edge and the second edge to a second position adjacent to the common edge; wherein the trench is arranged so as to provide an electron transparent sample layer comprising the surface region of interest. By milling the second face of the sample only, a surface region of interest on the first face of the sample is fully preserved and remains free of milling beam induced damage. This allows for correlative characterisation work which requires both an electron transparent sample and a fully intact sample surface to obtain surface-sensitive data.

The present application discloses a method for preparing a TEM sample, comprising: step 1, forming a first protective layer to non-full fill a deep trench; step 2, performing a first time of front and rear side cutting using a FIB, so as to form the TEM sample having a first thickness, and a via in the deep trench is exposed from the front side and the rear side of the TEM sample; step 3, forming a second material layer, which fully fills the exposed via from the front side and the rear side of the TEM sample; and step 4, performing a second time of front and rear side cutting of a target area on the chip sample using the FIB, so as to reduce the thickness of the TEM sample to a target thickness.

Automated processing is provided. A charged particle beam apparatus includes: an image identity degree determination unit determining whether an identity degree is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the identity degree indicating a degree of identity between a processing cross-section image that is an SEM image obtained through observation of a cross section of the sample by a scanning electron microscope, and a criterion image that is the processing cross-section image previously registered; and a post-determination processing unit performing a predetermined processing operation according to a result of the determination by the image identity degree determination unit.

The present invention provides methods for controllably forming a layer of amorphous ice and other amorphous solids on a substrate, and also provides cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) sample preparation methods and systems that utilize in vacuo formation of amorphous ice and other solids. Formation of the amorphous solid layer can be independent of the deposition of sample molecules to be analyzed using electron microscopy, and allows for the generation of a uniformly thick layer. Optionally, mass spectrometry instruments are used to generate and purify molecules deposited on the generated amorphous solid layer. The techniques and systems described herein can deliver near ideal cryo-EM sample preparation to greatly increase resolution, sensitivity, scope, and throughput of cryo-EM protein imaging, and therefore greatly impact the field of structural biology.

A method prepares a microsample from a volume sample using multiple particle beams. The method includes providing a volume sample in the microscope system, wherein the interior of the volume sample has a sample region of interest, and producing a macrolamella comprising the sample region of interest by removing sample material of the volume sample using one of the particle beams. The method also includes orienting the macrolamella relative to one of the particle beams, and removing sample material of the macrolamella via a beam so that the region of interest is exposed.

Tweezers 8, which can grip a sample piece 9, includes a gripping member 8a1 and a gripping member 8a2. The gripping member 8a1 includes a gripping region 8c1 and an abutment region 8b1, and the gripping member 8a2 includes a gripping region 8c2 and an abutment region 8b2. The gripping region 8c1 and the gripping region 8c2 include a gripping surface SF1 and a gripping surface SF2 for gripping the sample piece 9, respectively. The abutment region 8b1 protrudes from the gripping region 8c1 in a direction directed from the gripping surface SF1 to the gripping surface SF2, and the abutment region 8b2 protrudes from the gripping region 8c2 in a direction directed from the gripping surface SF2 to the gripping surface SF1.

The present application discloses a method for preparing a TEM sample, comprising: step 1, step 1, providing a chip sample having a metal protective layer formed on a first surface; step 2, fixing the chip sample on a sample table of a FIB system; step 3, performing the first time of FIB cutting on the metal protective layer along a first direction, so as to form a groove, wherein the first direction is the width direction of the TEM sample, and the inner side surface of the groove is arc-shaped so that the thickness of the metal protective layer in a groove area gradually changes; and step 4, performing the second time of FIB cutting along a third direction to thin the chip sample and form the TEM sample, wherein the third direction is a direction from the metal protective layer to the chip sample.

The invention relates to a method, a device and a system for the treatment of biological frozen samples using plasma focused ion beams (FIB). The samples can then be used for mass spectrometry (MS), genomics, such as gene sequencing analysis or next generation sequencing (NGS) analysis, and proteomics. The present invention particularly relates to a method of treatment of at least one biological sample. This method is particularly used for high performance microscopy, proteomics analytics, sequencing, such as NGS etc. According to the present invention the method comprises the steps of providing at least one biological sample in frozen form. The milling treats at least one part of the sample by a plasma ion beam comprising at least one of an O.sup.+ and/or a Xe.sup.+ plasma.

A carrier grid with integrated gas delivery system for use in a charged particle beam system (CPB). The carrier grid has a body with an internal reservoir for storing a gas. A post extends from the body with an end for supporting a sample to be operated upon, and an outlet tip extends from the end of the post. A channel extends from the reservoir, through the post and ends in the outlet tip, where the outlet tip seals the stored gas in the body. Cutting the outlet tip near its base, with a focused ion beam (FIB) by example, will open the channel to the CPB chamber, allowing the prestored gas within the reservoir to escape. A FIB or electron beam directed at the junction of the sample positioned near the post will cause deposition and subsequent attachment of the sample to the post in presence of the gas.

Apparatus and methods are disclosed for sample preparation, suitable for online or offline use with multilayer samples. Ion beam technology is leveraged to provide rapid, accurate delayering with etch stops at a succession of target layers. In one aspect, a trench is milled around a region of interest (ROI), and a conductive coating is developed on an inner sidewall. Thereby, reliable conducting paths are formed between intermediate layers within the ROI and a base layer, and stray current paths extending outside the ROI are eliminated, providing better quality etch progress monitoring, during subsequent etching, from body or scattered currents. Ion beam assisted gas etching provides rapid delayering with etch stops at target polysilicon layers. Uniform etching at deep layers can be achieved. Variations and results are disclosed.