Apparatus for Preparing Specimens for Microscopy

Abstract

An apparatus for preparing specimens for microscopy including equipment for providing two or more of each of the following specimen processing activities under continuous vacuum conditions: plasma cleaning the specimen, ion beam or reactive ion beam etching the specimen, plasma etching the specimen and coating the specimen with a conductive material. Also, an apparatus and method for detecting a position of a surface of the specimen in a processing chamber, wherein the detected position is used to automatically move the specimen to appropriate locations for subsequent processing.

1 - 157 . (canceled) 
     
     
         158 . An apparatus for preparing a specimen for microscopy, comprising:
 a processing chamber;   a sample stage, said sample stage being moveable to one or more processing positions inside said processing chamber, said processing positions being defined by three dimensional coordinates; and   means for detecting a first position of a surface of said specimen within said processing chamber that has an emitter and a receiver wherein said emitter sends a signal directly to said receiver for use in detecting said first position of said surface of said specimen;   wherein said sample stage is moved automatically to said one or more processing positions remote from said first position in any of three dimensions based upon a defined distance and angle from said first position.   
     
     
         159 . An apparatus according to  claim 158 , wherein said first position is measured relative to a second position along said axis. 
     
     
         160 . An apparatus according to  claim 158 , said processing positions including positions for performing one or more of etching said specimen, plasma cleaning said specimen, plasma etching said specimen and coating said specimen with a conductive material. 
     
     
         161 . An apparatus for preparing a specimen for microscopy, comprising:
 a processing chamber;   a sample stage, said sample stage being moveable to one or more processing positions inside said processing chamber, said processing positions being defined by three dimensional coordinates; and   a beam generating device and a beam sensor supported by said processing chamber, said beam generating device and said beam sensor being used to detect a first position of a surface of said specimen within said processing chamber, wherein a beam generated by said beam generating device is sent directly from said beam generating device to said beam sensor without engaging any intermediate object;   wherein said sample stage is moved automatically to said one or more processing positions remote from said first position in any of three dimensions based upon a defined distance and angle from said first position.   
     
     
         162 . An apparatus according to  claim 161 , wherein said first position is measured relative to a second position along said axis. 
     
     
         163 . An apparatus according to  claim 161 , said processing positions including positions for performing one or more of etching said specimen, plasma cleaning said specimen, plasma etching said specimen and coating said specimen with a conductive material. 
     
     
         164 . An apparatus according to  claim 161 , said beam generating device comprising a laser. 
     
     
         165 . An apparatus according to  claim 158 , wherein said emitter is a laser, wherein said receiver is a sensor, and wherein said signal is a laser beam. 
     
     
         166 . An apparatus according to  claim 158 , wherein said emitter is an ion source, and wherein said receiver is a Faraday cup. 
     
     
         167 . An apparatus according to  claim 161 , said beam generating device comprising an ion source.