Method of preparing a sample for microstructure diagnostics, and sample for microstructure diagnostics

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016356683-A1
Application number	US-201615173153-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 3, 2016
Priority date	Jun 5, 2015
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A sample for microstructure diagnostics includes a sample body holder with accommodation structures to accommodate a sample body in a defined accommodation position; and at least one sample body produced separately from the sample body holder, the sample body having at least one solid handling portion and, adjoining the handling portion, a target portion thinner relative to the handling portion, the target portion being delimited at a narrow side by a sample body top side and, laterally, by side faces extending in a perpendicular or oblique manner in relation to the sample body top side, with the sample body being affixed to the accommodation structures in the accommodation position.

First claim

1 . A method of preparing a sample for microstructure diagnostics, wherein a sample body with a predeterminable form is prepared from a substrate by way of material-ablating laser beam processing and subsequently a target portion of the sample body is further processed by laser beam processing and/or ion beam processing to expose a target volume suitable for a microstructure examination, comprising:
(a) releasing the sample body from the substrate by at least one laser processing operation by radiating-in at least one laser beam in a manner perpendicular and/or oblique to a substrate surface such that a sample body arises, said sample body being delimited at a sample body top side by a region of the substrate surface and, laterally, by side faces oriented in an oblique or perpendicular manner in relation to the substrate surface, wherein a form of the sample body is generated, which form has at least one solid handling portion and, adjoining the handling portion, a target portion thinner relative to the handling portion, said target portion being delimited at a narrow side by the sample body top side and, laterally, by side faces extending in a perpendicular or oblique manner in relation to the sample body top side; (b) producing a sample body holder separate from the sample body and having accommodation structures adapted to the form of the sample body for the purposes of accommodating the sample body in a defined accommodation position; (c) removing the sample body that was released from the substrate; (d) affixing the sample body removed from the substrate to the accommodation structures of the sample body holder; (e) carrying out at least one further material-ablating processing step of at least one side face of the sample body in the region of the target portion by laser beam processing and/or ion beam processing to expose the target volume.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the sample body is fastened to the accommodation structures by adhesive bonding or clamping.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein a first handling portion and a second handling portion are generated, and a thin intermediate portion lies between the first handling portion and the second handling portion, the intermediate portion being configured as target portion.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein a holding structure made of substrate material remains at at least one point of a side face of the handling portion during release step (a), said holding structure connecting the otherwise released sample body in the region of the handling portion with an adjoining portion of the substrate such that the sample body only connects to the remainder of the substrate by way of the holding structure, with the removal of the sample body in step (c) preferably causing a separation of the connection between the sample body and the substrate in the region of the holding structure.

5 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein a volume region made of substrate material is disposed adjacent to at least one of the side faces during the laser beam processing within the scope of release step (a), said volume region having a width perpendicular to the side face which is a multiple of the width of a laser beam cutting path, the width of the volume region being 200 μm or more.

6 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein the volume region is disposed of successively by the scanning guidance of a focused laser beam.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the sample body is generated such during the release step (a) that an extent of the sample body measured perpendicular to the substrate surface is less than a thickness of the substrate measured perpendicular to the substrate surface, and two side faces angled in relation to one another and lying opposite one another are generated in an intermediate step by laser beam processing within the scope of release step (a), which side faces intersect at a line of intersection lying in the interior of the substrate.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein, in the region of the substrate surface, the substrate has one or more layers or layer segments separated by interfaces, the sample body being generated such that one or more interfaces are oriented substantially perpendicular to at least one side face of the target portion.

9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the sample body is designed such that an interior angle arises between the target portion and an adjoining handling portion, with a side face of the target portion and a side face of the handling portion intersecting at an angle at said interior angle.

10 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the sample body holder is manufactured from a holder material different from the substrate material, with the holder material preferably having a metal or being a metal, and/or with the sample body holder being produced by laser processing from a plate or a film of the holder material.

11 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein a defined area contact is generated at two faces at an angle in relation to one another when affixing the sample body to the sample body holder such that the position of the sample body in respect of the sample body holder is set in at least two mutually perpendicular directions.

12 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the accommodation structures have one or more holding webs to affix the sample body, and at least one of the conditions is satisfied:
(i) at least one abutment face to mount a corresponding side face of the sample body is on a holding web, with an exterior angle adapted to the interior angle being formed at a holding web; (ii) a holding web having a first web portion and a second web portion oriented at an angle to the first web portion, with the angle being a right angle and/or a holding web having a T-shape or an L-shape.

13 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the accommodation structures have a shadowing web adapted to the sample body top side, said shadowing web consisting of a material having a lower ablation rate than the substrate material in the case of ion irradiation and/or laser irradiation.

14 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein, prior to affixing the sample body to the accommodation structures, a sacrificial layer is applied onto the sample body top side, at least in the region of the narrow side of the target portion, said sacrificial layer consisting of a material having a lower ablation rate than the substrate material in ion irradiation and/or laser irradiation.

15 . A sample for microstructure diagnostics obtainable or obtained by the method of claim 1 , comprising:
a sample body holder with accommodation structures to accommodate a sample body in a defined accommodation position; and at least one sample body produced separately from the sample body holder, said sample body having at least one solid handling portion and, adjoining the handling portion, a target portion thinner relative to the handling portion, said target portion being delimited at a narrow side by a sample body top side and, laterally, by side faces extending in a perpendicular or oblique manner in relation to the sample body top side, with the sample body being affixed to the accommodation structures in the accommodation position.

Assignees

• Fraunhofer Ges Forschung

Inventors

• Krause Michael
• Schusser Georg
• Höche Thomas

Classifications

• H01J2237/31749

  Focused ion beam · CPC title

• H01J37/20

  Means for supporting or positioning the object or the material; Means for adjusting diaphragms or lenses associated with the support · CPC title

• G01N1/32 Primary

  Polishing; Etching · CPC title

• H01J2237/31745

  for preparing specimen to be viewed in microscopes or analyzed in microanalysers · CPC title

• G01N2001/2886

  Laser cutting, e.g. tissue catapult · CPC title