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OmniProbe

Effortless Nanoscale Manipulation

OmniProbe - Effortless Nanoscale Manipulation

OmniProbe nanomanipulators for FIB and SEM, class leading performance since 1995.

OmniProbe allows you to work quickly, confidently, and without the risk of sample loss, simplifying advanced workflows and delivering high throughput lift-out.  Designed and optimised for TEM lamella preparation in FIB-SEM, our 9th generation nanomanipulators are powered by piezoelectric motors and closed loop control for reliable, repeatable performance.

  • Precise nanoscale control, probe tip moves where and how you expect for total confidence
  • Deliver almost any sample geometry you can imagine using probe rotation
  • Port mounted design minimises interference with other detectors and accessories
  • Cryogenic tip allows production of lamella for Cryo-TEM

As our 9th generation of probes, OmniProbe 400 and 350 continue a long-standing tradition of being the highest performance manipulators available for FIB and SEM.  Using a compact, port mounted design with sub-nanometre piezoelectric motors the current generation of probes provide a stable platform with low vibration, low drift, and superb positioning accuracy which is combined with our intuitive user interface, where movement direction is calibrated to the image. 

The result is the ultimate lift-out and nanomanipulation solution:

  • Complete traditional lamella lift-out quickly, confidently and without the risk of sample loss
    • Superior linearity, smooth continuous motion, and an intuitive interface deliver higher lift-out success rates
  • Execute fast workflows for difficult geometries using probe rotation
    • Speed up backside thinning
    • Vent free plan-view lift-out
  • Perform lift-out on cryogenic samples as easily as if they were room temperature
  • Extract samples for 3D tomography or Atom Probe tomography
  • Make correlative TEM and atom probe nanowire samples in the SEM
  • Improve SEM imaging of uncoated insulating specimens
    • Use the probe tip to neutralise charge build up on the sample surface
  • Create samples for improved SEM-EDS and EBSD (TKD) analysis
  • Measure electrical parameters of nanostructures

Superior linearity - Linearity is a measure of the deviation of the probe tip from the requested movement direction.  A probe that moves in a straight line in all directions can

  • Lift-out safely, without hitting the side of the trench
  • Produce TEM lamella faster using smaller milled trenches

Intuitive user interface where controls directly reflect the movement of probe in the electron image

Smooth continuous motion - Lamella preparation workflows require the probe to make physical contact and smooth motion ensures this can be done without risk of dropping or damaging the sample

Precise movement with stored positions

  • Move from fully retracted to operating position with a single click
  • Save user defined working positions

360° compucentric rotation keeps the probe tip within the microscope field of view

  • Combine probe rotation with microscope stage movement to deliver almost any geometry you can imagine
  • Speed up workflows by rotating the probe instead of venting the chamber and handling the sample
  • Extend probe tip life by reconditioning with the FIB

In situ tip change allows probe tips to be replaced fast and without venting the chamber, reducing atmospheric contamination

Stable probe platform - Stability is a combination of vibration and drift.  Attaching samples to the probe tip is done by a gas deposition process that can take several minutes.  Any drift or vibration of the tip during this process can result in stresses within the sample or sudden movement of the sample at the point it is cut free

  • The stable Omniprobe platform minimises vibration and drift when idle, reducing these risks

Port mounted design retracts fully within the chamber when not in use so there is no compromise to your microscope

  • No restriction on sample size
  • No restriction on stage tilt
  • No interference with other detectors or accessories

Cryogenic tip for biological samples, batteries and more. Lift-out cryogenic samples using the same workflows and as easily as if they were at room temperature

Probe electrical connection includes +/-10V power supply for voltage contrast imaging

  • Low noise option can be combined with 3rd party electronics to perform EBIC, EBAC and other electrical testing methods

Use our handy comparison table below to help you choose the best OmniProbe for your application and to compare specifications.

SPECIFICATION                                                    OMNIPROBE
OmniProbe 350 Cryo lift-out OmniProbe 350 OmniProbe 400
Linearity 500 nm 500 nm 250 nm
Encoder resolution <50 nm <50 nm 10 nm
Insertion repeatability 15 μm* 5 μm 2 μm
Min velocity 50 nm/s 50 nm/s 10 nm/s
Max Velocity 250 μm/s 250 μm/s 500 μm/s
Compucentric rotation ✘ ✘ ✔
Integrated temperature sensor ✔ ✘ ✘
APPLICATION
Site specific lift-out ✔ ✔ ✔
Plan-view P P ✔
Vent free plan-view ✘ ✘ ✔
Backside Thinning ✘ ✘ P
Atom Probe tomography sample preparation P P ✔
Cryogenic liftout ✔ ✘ ✘
Voltage contrast imaging ✘ ✔ ✔
Charge neutralisation ✔ ✔ ✔
On-Tip analysis ✘ ✘ ✔
EBIC measurements ✘ O O
EBAC measurements ✘ O O
In Situ tip change ✘ O ✔

P: Requires an OmniPivot holder O: Available as Option * at constant temperature

Explore our selection of OmniProbe Accessories below and select your region

UK
US & Canada
Europe

 

 

Blog: OmniProbe Tech Tips: 3 Steps to Optimise FIB Lamella Quality
Blog: OmniProbe Tips & Tricks
Application note: High quality TEM lamella preparation and on-tip analysis using LayerProbe and the OmniProbe 400
Application Note: Multi-Scale Analysis of Dislocations and Grain Boundaries for Improving mc-Si Solar Cell Performance
Application note: Preparing high-quality and artifact-free TEM lamellae with the OmniProbe® 400 using backside thinning
Poster: A Universal Method of In Situ FIB Lift-Out for Cryogenic Samples
Poster: Optimisation of FIB Lift-Out with Analytics

OmniProbe Products

Liftout for a TEM in situ heating chip

Advanced LiftOut

GIS test pattern

Backside thinned sample analysed via our extreme EDS

Extreme EDS on TEM lamella

EBAC and EBIC signal measured via OmniProbe 400

OmniProbe electrical testing

Yeast cell prepared for TEM in cryo FIB

Cryogenic Liftout

Applications

Lift-out

The primary application of OmniProbe is site specific lift-out of lamella for TEM. The challenge of lift-out is to extract a sample (lamella), from a milled trench where any unexpected movements can cause sample loss. More precise movement allows smaller features to be targeted and requires less milling for a larger sample.

Advanced liftout: Rotation 

The addition of 360° rotation with the OmniProbe 400 means additional sample orientations can be prepared, providing thinner samples of higher quality. Compucentric rotation means the sample stays in the centre of the electron image while rotating

Advanced liftout: Workflows

Combined probe stage (CSP) recipes enable advanced lift-out to be performed routinely in 3 steps, producing lamella in the optimum geometry.

  • Orient sample using stage movement
  • Execute lift-out of the sample
  • Rotate the OmniProbe and attach sample to TEM grid

Linearity of movement is critical for these recipes as the milled trenches can be obscured from view, requiring absolute confidence in the nanomanipulator during lift-out.

Cryogenic lift-out

OmniProbe cryo tip and patented workflow means cryogenic TEM lamella can be prepared using the same workflow as a standard lamella.  The cryo tip can be passively cooled to below the vitrification point of water, ensuring damage free lift-out.

 

In situ tip change

During the lift-out process the probe tip has material deposited on and milled away it, so over time the tip is consumed. Compucentric rotation of the OmniProbe 400 allows the tip life to be extended by reshaping the tip using the ion beam but even then, it eventually needs replacing. OmniProbe has the unique ability to change the probe tip in minutes, without breaking microscope vacuum, maximising efficiency by minimising down time.

You may also be interested in

Cry-lift out

Oxford Instruments OmniProbe cryo lift-out option extends lift-out capability to cryogenic samples, including those prepared by high-pressure freezing.

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OmniProbe 350

OmniProbe 350 is a 3-axis, port mounted manipulator featuring piezoelectric motors with closed loop feedback, ideally suited for routine TEM lamella preparation. Precise and intuitive control means you can work quickly and confidently without the risk of damage or sample loss.

Find out more
OmniProbe 400

A ninth generation of nanomanipulator, the OmniProbe 400 exploits innovative piezo actuation for best in class nanoscale positioning. Optimised for maximum flexibility and performance, the OmniProbe 400 is the ultimate nanomanipulator for high resolution and high throughput applications.

Find out more

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