A modular ultra-high vacuum (UHV) electron microscope for investigating a sample, according to the present disclosure includes a UHV chamber configured to reach and maintain an ultra-high vacuum within the UHV chamber, a UHV stage to hold the sample being investigated, a charged particle source configured to emit an electron beam toward the sample, and an optical column configured to direct the plurality of electrons to be incident on the sample. The modular UHV electron microscopes further include a carousel vacuum bay configured to reach and maintain an UHV independently of the UHV chamber, and which is connected to the UHV chamber via a port and contains at least one device manipulator. Each of the device manipulators comprise an attachment site for a microscope device, and are configured to, selectively translate attached microscope devices between the carousel vacuum bay and the UHV chamber via the valve.

A system for positioning a sample in a charged particle apparatus (CPA) or an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) system includes a sample carrier coupled to a stage inside the vacuum chamber of the CPA or XPS system. The system allows transferring of the sample carrier among multiple CPAs, XPS systems and glove boxes in inert gas or in vacuum. The sample carrier is releasably coupled with the stage in the vacuum chamber of the CPA or the XPS. Multiple electrodes in a sample area of the sample carrier are electrically connectable with the stage by multiple spring contacts between the sample carrier and the stage.

A sample holding device for studying light-driven reactions and a sample analysis method using the same are disclosed. The sample holding device comprises a main body, a supporting structure and a light source assembly. The main body has a channel which has a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, and a focusing lens which is located on the second end. The supporting structure is located on one end of the main body for sample supporting. The light source assembly is detachably disposed on the other end opposite to the end which is disposed with the supporting structure. The light source assembly emits a light beam into the first end of the channel. The light beam then irradiates the sample which locates on the supporting structure after passing through the focusing lens.

A double-tilt sample holder for TEM, comprising: it comprise the main body of sample holder body, front-end tilt stage, drive rod, linkage, tilt axis, rotation axis, fixed axis of drive rod and sample loading stage. The axis hole is arranged at the front-end tilt stage, which is connected to the main body of the sample holder body by the tilt axis. The linkage, the boss slot and the drive rod slot are connected by the rotation axis. Two through movement guide grooves are designed symmetrically at both sides of the front-end of sample holder body, and the drive rod is fixed by the fixed axis of the drive rod, which restricts the drive rod to move reciprocally in a straight line driven by the linear stepping motor at the back-end of the main body of the holder body, further leading the tilt stage to rotate around the tilt axis. The tilt angle of the sample loading stage can be precisely controlled by the high precision linear stepping motor in the apparatus. The maximum tilt angle of the sample stage can be adjusted by the included angle between the boss at the bottom surface of the front-end tilt stage and the horizontal direction and the length of the movement guide groove in the apparatus. The apparatus can be used coordinately with TEM and its universality is wide.

Shaft members which respectively protrude toward at least one beam member and the other beam member in a z-axis direction are formed in a mesh support member. A through hole for penetrating a space between a shaft end surface and an opening portion in the z-axis direction and introducing a focused ion beam toward a fine sample piece is formed in at least one shaft member.

A specimen holder for a Charged Particle Microscope is disclosed. The holder has a support structure with an elongated member including a specimen mounting zone. The specimen mounting zone comprises a rotor with an axis perpendicular to the elongated member with a paddle connected to it which may be rotated. Specimens may be mounted on the paddle so that rotation of the paddle allows specimens to be rotated and/or inverted for microscopic observation on both sides. Specimens may either be directly mounted on the paddle, or on a grid, half-moon grid, lift-out grid, aperture frame, dielectric film, etc.

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for the preparation of microscopic samples using light pulses. Material volumes greater than 100 μm.sup.3 are removed. The methods include inspecting an object with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) or a focused ion beam (FIB). The inspection includes recording an image of the object. The methods also includes delineating within the object a region to be investigated, and delineating a laser-machining path based on the image of the object so that a sample can be prepared out of the object. The methods further include using laser-machining along the delineated laser-machining path to remove a volume that is to be ablated, and inspecting the object with the scanning electron microscope (SEM) or a focused ion beam (FIB).

An apparatus and a method for measuring and monitoring the properties of a fluid, for example, pressure, temperature, and chemical properties, within a sample holder for an electron microscope. The apparatus includes at least one fiber optic sensor used for measuring temperature and/or pressure and/or pH positioned in proximity of the sample.

An electron microscope includes: a sample holder; a first optical system irradiating and scanning the sample; an electron detection unit detecting secondary electrons discharged from the sample; a first vacuum chamber which holds the sample holder, the first optical system, and the electron detection unit in a vacuum atmosphere; a display unit displaying a microscopic image of the sample; and a control unit which controls the sample holder and the operation of the first optical system. The electron microscope includes a second vacuum chamber different from the first vacuum chamber, and a second optical system in the second vacuum chamber and is different from the first optical system. The second optical system and the control unit are capable of mutual communication, and the second vacuum chamber has a state changing means which changes the state of the sample.

Systems and methods are provided for positioning a wafer in relation to a datum structure. In one example, a system comprises a camera arrangement including at least two cameras, each of the at least two cameras including a field of view when positioned in the camera arrangement, each field of view including a peripheral edge of the wafer and a peripheral edge of the datum structure. A processor receives positional data from each of the at least two cameras and determines, in relation to each field of view, a gap size between the respective peripheral edges of the wafer and the datum location included in the respective field of view. A controller adjusts a position of the wafer relative to the datum structure based on the determined respective gap sizes.