CN113418760A

CN113418760A - Cleavage device, cleavage apparatus, and cleavage method

Info

Publication number: CN113418760A
Application number: CN202110591877.2A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 李渊; 毛寒青
Original assignee: Institute of Physics of CAS
Current assignee: Institute of Physics of CAS
Priority date: 2021-05-28
Filing date: 2021-05-28
Publication date: 2021-09-21
Anticipated expiration: 2041-05-28
Also published as: CN113418760B

Abstract

The invention relates to a cleavage device, cleavage equipment and a cleavage method. The cleaving apparatus includes: the sample transfer device comprises a shell, a sample transfer channel and a cooling fluid, wherein a cavity capable of constructing an ultrahigh vacuum environment is formed in the shell, the sample transfer channel is arranged in the cavity, and the shell is suitable for being immersed in the cooling fluid; a cleavage assembly disposed within the cavity and movable below the sample transfer channel to approach or depart from the sample transfer channel; wherein the cavity is further adapted to receive a testing device. The invention can realize the whole low-temperature environment from cleavage to test.

Description

Cleavage device, cleavage apparatus, and cleavage method

Technical Field

The invention relates to the technical field of sample cleavage in an ultrahigh vacuum low-temperature environment, in particular to a cleavage device, cleavage equipment and a cleavage method in the ultrahigh vacuum low-temperature environment.

Background

Cleaving refers to a technique that opens the crystal along a particular crystal plane to expose a flat, smooth surface. The cleavage technology is widely applied to the sample preparation process of scientific research instruments such as a scanning tunnel microscope, an angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy and the like. The scientific research requires that the tested crystal sample has a clean atomic-level flat surface. On the one hand, foreign molecules in the atmosphere, dust, etc. may contaminate the cleavage surface, and thus the cleavage process is generally performed in an ultra-high vacuum environment. On the other hand, the atoms on the cleavage surface may undergo surface reconstruction, atom desorption, and the like at room temperature due to thermal motion, which may cause drastic changes in surface structure and properties.

One currently known sample cleavage scheme is the tape tearing method, in which a tape is adhered to the surface of a sample, and a portion of the sample is peeled off by pulling the tape. This method is only applicable to samples with weak chemical bonds such as graphite. Further, since the adhesive tape becomes hard and weak at low temperature, it is not suitable for low-temperature cleavage.

Another known ultra-high vacuum sample cleaving method is the knocking stick method, in which a stick is stuck to the sample surface by an adhesive such as silver paste or epoxy paste, and the stick is knocked by an operating mechanism such as a swing lever (wobbe stick) to separate the sample along the cleavage plane. In the process, the sample is cooled by using a cooling pipeline (filled with cooling fluid such as liquid nitrogen and liquid helium), and low-temperature cleavage can also be realized. However, this low-temperature cleaving scheme cannot achieve a full-scale low temperature because the transmission path of the sample from the cleaving site to the testing site is long and needs to be subjected to a room-temperature environment, so that the cleaved surface may be deteriorated for the following reasons: firstly, a low-temperature sample is equivalent to a cold pump and is easy to adsorb impurity molecules in a relatively high surrounding environment; secondly, the sample surface is exposed to thermal radiation and surface reconstruction may occur.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention aims to provide a cleavage device which can realize the whole process from cleavage to test in a low-temperature environment.

The invention also aims to provide a cleaving apparatus applying the improved cleaving device.

The invention also aims to provide a cleaving method applying the improved cleaving apparatus.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cleaving apparatus including: the sample transfer device comprises a shell, a sample transfer channel and a cooling fluid, wherein a cavity capable of constructing an ultrahigh vacuum environment is formed in the shell, the sample transfer channel is arranged in the cavity, and the shell is suitable for being immersed in the cooling fluid; a cleavage assembly disposed within the cavity and movable below the sample transfer channel to approach or depart from the sample transfer channel; wherein the cavity is further adapted to receive a testing device.

In some embodiments, a rotating shaft which can rotate around the central axis of the rotating shaft is arranged in the cavity, the rotating shaft is provided with an operating end, and the cleavage assembly is sleeved on the rotating shaft in a follow-up mode.

In some embodiments, the operating end is located within the cavity and forms a mouthpiece, the wall surrounding the mouthpiece including at least one planar section, the mouthpiece being adapted to receive an operating rod having a shape-fitting end.

In some embodiments, the cleaving assembly comprises: a cleaving station having a carrier with a first opening, wherein movement of the cleaving assembly under the sample transfer channel aligns the first opening with the sample transfer channel, wherein a peripheral wall of the first opening is configured to cleave a strike face; and the accommodating box is connected to the side surface of the cleavage platform, which faces away from the sample transferring channel, and is provided with an accommodating space communicated with the first opening.

In some embodiments, a bearing surface and a boss protruding from the bearing surface opposite to the accommodating box are arranged in the first opening of the bearing part, a pressing plate is arranged on the boss, and a clamping space is formed between the pressing plate and the bearing surface.

In some embodiments, a detachable holder with a second opening is arranged on the side of the cleavage table facing the sample transfer channel, wherein the second opening is aligned with the first opening.

In some embodiments, a cold stage is disposed on the housing to form the cavity, the cold stage has a through hole in communication with the sample transfer channel, and a heat conducting member is connected between the cold stage and the cleaving stage.

In some embodiments, the cleaving assembly has a positioning slot, a positioning rack is fixedly disposed within the cavity relative to the sample transfer channel, and a positioning member and a biasing member abutting against the positioning member are disposed on the positioning rack, and the positioning member can fall into the positioning slot under the force of the biasing member during movement of the cleaving assembly.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cleaving apparatus comprising: a cleaving device as described above; a testing device housed in the cavity and adapted to receive the cleaved sample.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cleaving method including: providing a cleaving apparatus as previously described; forming an ultra-high vacuum environment within the cavity and immersing the housing in a cooling fluid; moving the cleaving assembly below the sample transfer channel to align a first opening of a carrier of the cleaving assembly with the sample transfer channel; moving the sample with the cleavage bar attached thereto through the sample transfer channel to a position where a portion of the cleavage bar protrudes out of the sample transfer channel and into the first opening; moving the cleaving assembly to tap the cleaving bar through the peripheral wall of the first opening.

In some embodiments, before moving the sample with the cleavage bar attached to the sample through the sample transfer channel to a position where a portion of the cleavage bar protrudes out of the sample transfer channel and into the first opening, the cleavage method further comprises: and enabling the sample with the cleavage stick to fall onto the bearing part through the sample conveying channel for cooling.

In some embodiments, the moving the sample with the cleavage bar attached thereto through the sample transfer channel to a position where a portion of the cleavage bar protrudes out of the sample transfer channel and into the first opening comprises: and lifting the cooled sample with the cleavage bar attached to the sample to a position where a part of the cleavage bar extends out of the sample transmission channel and into the first opening through the sample transmission channel.

In some embodiments, after striking the cleaving bar, the cleaving method further comprises: moving the cleaving assembly away from the sample transfer channel below the sample transfer channel to allow the cleaved sample to be sent to a testing device; or leaving the cleaved sample on the carrier portion of the cleavage assembly.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following, or may be learned from the practice of the invention.

Drawings

Embodiments of the invention are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partial schematic view from one perspective of a cleaving apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial schematic view of the cleaving apparatus of FIG. 1 from another perspective;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a spindle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a cleaving assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a cleaving station according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a cage taken along a section through a second opening according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a side view of a cleaving assembly and a positioning assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view at A of FIG. 7;

fig. 9 to 11 are process diagrams of a cleaving method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Description of the reference numerals

1. A cleaving device; 2. cooling; 21. a through hole; 22. a through hole; 3. a rotating shaft; 31. a shaft support structure; 32. a first terminal/operational terminal; 33. an interface; 34. a planar section; 35. a threaded segment; 36. a nut; 37. a second end; 4. a support; 41. a first support bar; 42. a second support bar; 43. a support table; 5. a cleaving assembly; 51. a cleaving station; 511. a bearing part; 512. a first opening; 513. a bearing surface; 514. a boss; 515. pressing a plate; 516. a clamping space; 517. an accommodation hole; 518. a limiting groove; 52. a holder; 521. a second opening; 522. a slope section; 523. a slope section; 53. accommodating the box; 531. a main body; 532. a flange; 533. positioning a groove; 54. a limiting boss; 6. a sample transfer tube; 61. a sample transmission channel; 7. a positioning assembly; 71. a positioning frame; 72. a positioning member; 73. a biasing member.

Detailed Description

Referring now to the drawings, illustrative aspects of the cleaving apparatus, cleaving device, and cleaving method disclosed herein will be described in detail. Although the drawings are provided to present some embodiments of the invention, the drawings are not necessarily to scale of particular embodiments, and certain features may be exaggerated, removed, or partially sectioned to better illustrate and explain the present disclosure. The position of some components in the drawings can be adjusted according to actual requirements on the premise of not influencing the technical effect. The appearances of the phrase "in the drawings" or similar language in the specification are not necessarily referring to all drawings or examples.

Certain directional terms used hereinafter to describe the drawings, such as "inner", "outer", "above", "below", and other directional terms, will be understood to have their normal meaning and refer to those directions as they normally relate to when viewing the drawings. Unless otherwise indicated, the directional terms described herein are generally in accordance with conventional directions as understood by those skilled in the art.

The terms "first," "second," and the like, as used herein, do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element from another.

Fig. 1 and 2 show an example of a cleaving apparatus according to the present invention from different angles, fig. 1 is a schematic view of the cleaving apparatus viewed obliquely from above, and fig. 2 is a schematic view of the cleaving apparatus viewed obliquely from below. As shown, the housing (not shown) of the cleaving apparatus 1 and the cold plate 2 together define a cavity within which the cleaving assembly 5 and the sample transfer tube 6 are disposed. The cavity is sealable to enable an ultra high vacuum environment to be established therein. While the housing is capable of being submerged in a cooling fluid such as liquid nitrogen, liquid helium. The cooling fluid may be filled in a larger one of the enclosures and the housing of the cleaving apparatus 1 is placed in the larger enclosure such that the cooling fluid envelopes the housing of the cleaving apparatus 1 to effect the heat exchange and thereby create a low temperature environment within the cavity. In the embodiment shown, the cold table 2 can be seen as a component similar to a "lid". The sample transfer tube 6 is mounted, for example by screws, on the surface of the cold plate 2 facing the cavity. The cold stage 2 may be provided with a through hole 21 communicating with the inner bore of the sample transfer tube 6, which constitutes a sample transfer channel 61 for delivering the sample to be cleaved from outside the cavity into the cavity. The sample transfer channel 61 allows the sample to be cleaved to pass through or reside therein.

In the illustrated embodiment, the cleaving assembly 5 is positioned below the sample transfer tube 6 and is movable in a horizontal plane relative to the sample transfer tube 6 to be closer to the sample transfer tube 6 or farther from the sample transfer tube 6. To achieve this movement, in the embodiment shown, a spindle 3 is provided in the chamber, which is rotatable about its own axis, and the cleaving assembly 5 is fitted over the spindle 3 and is actuated by the spindle to perform a clockwise or counterclockwise movement.

The rotational movement of the spindle 3 is controllable. Fig. 3 shows an exemplary spindle 3. As shown in this figure, the spindle 3 comprises a first end 32 and a second end 37 opposite to each other, wherein the first end 32 is formed as an operating end with an interface 33 for detachable engagement with an operating rod (not shown in the figure) configured as a slot surrounded by, for example, five planar segments 34, and one end of the operating rod has a shape adapted to the interface, so that when the operating rod is inserted in the interface 33 of the spindle 3, the rotation of the spindle 3 can be controlled by controlling the movement of the operating rod. In alternative embodiments, the number of planar segments of the interface 33 may be adjusted, for example reduced to 1, 2, 3 or 4, or increased to 6 or more.

With combined reference to fig. 1 and 2, the operating end 32 of the shaft 3 is plugged into a shaft support structure 31, which may be a bearing, for example. The shaft support structure 31 is mounted on the cavity-facing surface of the cold stage 2, for example, by screws, and the shaft support structure 31 has a through hole (not shown in the drawings) corresponding to the rotation shaft 3 to allow the operation rod to pass therethrough. Further, the cooling stage 2 is formed with a through hole 22 corresponding to the rotation shaft 3, and the operation rod in a vacuum environment is connected to the rotation shaft 3 through the through hole 22 of the cooling stage 2 and the through hole of the shaft support structure 31 in this order. The second end 37 of the shaft 3 is inserted in the holder 4. As shown in the figure, the bracket 4 comprises a first supporting rod 41 fixedly installed in the cavity, a supporting platform 43 installed on the first supporting rod 41, and two second supporting rods 42 arranged on the supporting platform 43 at intervals, the rotating shaft 3 is located between the two second supporting rods 42, and the second end 37 of the rotating shaft is inserted into the supporting platform 43. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the mounting and support structure for the shaft is illustrated in the figures as a bracket, and in other embodiments, the configuration of the bracket may be varied so long as it is possible to mount the shaft in the cavity and restrict axial and radial movement of the shaft. The bracket may even be omitted.

In the embodiment shown, the shaft 3 is further formed with a threaded section 35, and two nuts 36 are screwed onto the threaded section 35. Cleavage assembly 5 is clamped between two nuts 36. By adjusting the axial position of the nut 36 on the rotating shaft 3, the position of the cleavage assembly 5 relative to the lower end opening of the sample transfer channel 61 can be adjusted to adapt to samples to be cleaved with different sizes. In other embodiments not shown, the cleaving assembly may itself be internally threaded to effect engagement with the shaft 3, axial position adjustment, and axial positioning. Alternatively, a clamping mechanism such as a clamping jaw may be provided on the shaft to secure the cleaving assembly. Alternatively, the cleaving station may be welded directly to the shaft.

As described above, the cleaving assembly 5 may be moved clockwise or counterclockwise about the shaft 3 within the chamber by rotation of the shaft 3. Fig. 4 shows an example of the cleavage assembly 5. As shown, the cleaving assembly 5 includes a cleaving station 51, a holder 52, and a housing box 53. The cleaving table 51 is fitted over the shaft 3 as a core member of the cleaving assembly 5 and sandwiched between the two nuts 36. The cleavage stage 5 is formed with a loading portion 511 for loading a sample to be cleaved or a cleaved sample. Referring to fig. 4 and 5, the cleaving table 5 is formed with a first opening 512 penetrating upper and lower surfaces of the cleaving table, and a peripheral wall of the first opening 512 also serves as a cleaving strike surface, and a bearing surface 513 horizontally extends from an inner peripheral wall of the first opening 512. The bosses 514 protrude from the carrying surface 513 in a direction away from the lower surface of the cleaving table 51. The pressure plate 515 is detachably mounted on the boss 514, for example, by screws, so that a clamping space 516 for fixing the sample to be cleaved or the cleaved sample is formed between the pressure plate 515 and the supporting surface 513. Thereby constituting a carrying portion 511 of the cleaving stage 51. For stability, two bosses 514 are oppositely arranged and two bearing surfaces 513 are formed in the first opening 512 between the two bosses 514. The cross-sectional shape of the first opening 512 may be circular, elliptical, or polygonal, such as triangular or square.

Although the cleavage table 51 is formed with two carrying parts 511 as illustrated, the number of the carrying parts 511 is not limited thereto, and may be reduced to one or increased to three or more as needed.

To assist in rapid cooling of the sample to be cleaved on the cleaving stage 51, a thermal connection is established between the cleaving stage 51 and the interface of the chamber. In one embodiment, the hot connection is established between the cold station 2 and the cleaving station 51. Such thermal coupling is achieved, for example, by a plurality of thermally conductive members connected between the cold stage 2 and the cleaving stage 51. To this end, the cleaving stage 51 is formed with a plurality of receiving holes 517, and one end of each heat-conductive member may be inserted into one of the receiving holes 517. The cold plate 2 is also formed with a corresponding plurality of holes to receive the other end of the heat-conducting member. One example of a thermally conductive member is a copper strand woven from a plurality of copper wires. In addition, other materials that conduct heat well may also be used as the heat-conducting member. In addition, the cleaving station 51 may be made of a good thermal conductive material, such as copper, to promote heat exchange.

The accommodation box 53 is mounted on the lower surface of the cleaving stage 51 by, for example, screws. For the sample to be cleaved to which the cleavage bar is attached, when the cleavage bar is knocked off by means of the peripheral wall of the first opening 512 to complete cleavage, the cleavage bar drops directly into the accommodation box 53 without dropping to an undesired location such as a test apparatus. For this purpose, the accommodation box 53 has an accommodation space that is aligned with the first opening 512 of the bearing 511 of the cleaving stage 2. The shape of the housing box may be modified as long as it functions to house the detached cleaving rod.

According to the present embodiment, the holder 52, which is an optional member of the cleaving assembly 5, may be mounted on the upper surface of the cleaving stage 51 as needed (for example, when the vertical size of the sample to be cleaved or the cleaved sample is large such that a part or most of it protrudes from the carrying portion 511 of the cleaving stage 51), or may be detached from the cleaving stage 51 when not needed. The holder 52 has second openings 521 corresponding to the number and positions of the first openings 512 of the cleavage table 51, which penetrate the upper and lower surfaces of the holder 52. Fig. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the cage 52. As shown, the second opening 521 may be formed with

slope sections

522 and 523 at two ends, respectively, for guiding the sample to be cleaved or the cleaved sample passing through the second opening (to be prepared), and preventing the sample to be cleaved or the cleaved sample from being knocked.

One function of the bearing portion 511 of the cleaving stage 51 is to support a sample to be cleaved falling through the sample transfer passage 61 or to store a cleaved sample. For this reason, it is desirable that the bearing portion 511 of the cleavage stage 51 or the first opening 512 can be positioned exactly right below the sample transfer channel 61. To achieve this, the cleaving station 51 is provided with a positioning assembly 7. Referring to fig. 1, 2, 7 and 8, the positioning frame 71 of the positioning assembly 7 is fixed to the cuvette 6, the spherical positioning member 72 is provided on the positioning frame 71, and the biasing member 73 is mounted on the positioning frame 71 and abuts against the positioning member 72. The accommodation box 53 is formed with positioning grooves 533. During the rotation of the cleavage assembly 5 along with the rotation shaft 3, the positioning member 72 can be inserted into the positioning groove 533 by the force of the biasing member 73, and the positioning groove 533 is positioned such that the (one of the) first opening 512 of the carrying portion 511 is exactly aligned with the sample transfer channel 61 once the positioning member 72 is inserted therein. Since the positioning member 72 is configured to be spherical, so that the relative positioning relationship between the cleaving assembly 5 and the positioning assembly 7 is not permanent, the force of the biasing member 73 can be overcome by applying a greater force to the rotating shaft 3, thereby enabling the positioning member 72 to disengage from the positioning groove 533 while the cleaving assembly 5 can continue to rotate.

In addition to the positioning and biasing members shown, other positioning mechanisms may be provided to achieve accurate positioning of the cleavage assembly relative to the sample transfer channel. For example, in a not shown embodiment, the support is provided with a tubular element and in this tubular element a mobile element is inserted, the end of which that protrudes from the tubular element forming a bulb or truncated bulb, between which a biasing element, for example a spring, is pressed. The biasing member applies a force to the movable member such that it always abuts against the flange of the receptacle.

Furthermore, other positioning or limit fits, such as the limit tab 54 shown in FIG. 4, may be used in addition to the detent and positioning assembly. The limiting boss 54 protrudes from the upper surface of the holder 52, and during the rotation of the cleavage assembly 5, the limiting boss 54 interferes with the sample transfer tube 6, so as to limit the further rotation of the cleavage assembly 5, when the first opening 512 of the corresponding one of the bearing portions 511 is aligned with the sample transfer channel 61. The embodiment in the figures shows the use of one retaining boss 54 and one positioning groove 533 (cooperating with the positioning assembly 7) to retain or position the two carrying parts 511, respectively, but those skilled in the art will appreciate that the use of two positioning grooves 533 to cooperate with the positioning assembly 7, respectively, to achieve the respective positioning of the two carrying parts, may also be used. In addition, in the case of positioning by using positioning grooves, the number of the positioning grooves is determined according to the number of the bearing parts.

In addition, in the case where the holder 52 is not provided, the stopper boss 54 may be formed on the upper surface of the cleaving stage.

In the illustrated embodiment, for the sake of stability, a flange 532 is formed on the main body 531 of the accommodation box 53 forming the accommodation space, a positioning groove 533 is formed on the lower surface of the flange 532, the biasing member 73 extends below the lower surface of the flange 532, and the positioning member 72 is sandwiched between the biasing member 73 and the lower surface of the flange 532. As the cleavage assembly 5 rotates, the positioning member 72 abuts against and moves on the lower surface of the flange 532 by the force of the biasing member 73 until being inserted into the positioning groove 533. The cross-section of the positioning groove 533 may be circular, elliptical, racetrack, polygonal, etc.

Further, the position of the positioning groove may be adjusted as needed, for example, provided on the upper surface or the end surface between the upper surface and the lower surface of the accommodation box, or provided on the upper surface, the lower surface, or the end surface between the upper surface and the lower surface of the cleavage table.

Although the figures only show an embodiment in which the cleavage assembly 5 is rotatably installed below the sample transfer channel 61, the arrangement and movement of the cleavage assembly are not limited thereto. For example, in an alternative embodiment, the cleaving assembly may move linearly in a horizontal plane, which may be achieved by, for example, providing a linear actuator on the cleaving assembly (e.g., the cleaving table) and extending an operating end of the linear actuator out of the chamber or enabling connection to an operating rod outside the chamber. In another alternative embodiment, the cleaving assembly is not mounted directly below the sample transfer tunnel, but is movable vertically to move downwardly below the sample transfer tunnel to perform cleaving operations when needed, and upwardly beside or above the sample transfer tunnel after cleaving operations are completed. The cleavage operation is completed by driving the cleavage assembly to move (for example, the cleavage assembly is driven to rotate by the rotating shaft), the cleavage action is fixed and the repetition degree is high, and the cleavage success rate is high.

According to the cleavage device provided by the invention, the cleavage assembly and the sample transfer pipe are vertically arranged, so that the space is effectively utilized, and the cleavage assembly is simple in structure and only occupies a small space. In addition, the rotating position and the angle of the cleaving table are controlled by means of the steerable rotating shaft, complex control strategies and means are not needed, and the operation is simple and easy to implement.

And an installation space is reserved in the cavity for the testing device, so that experimental research is carried out on the cleaved sample. In one embodiment, the test device is located below the cleaving assembly. The first leg of the aforementioned holder can be fixed, for example, to the test device. In this way, in the case where the cleavage assembly 5 completes cleavage and avoids the sample transfer passage 61, the cleaved sample can directly fall onto the test assembly, thereby realizing a low temperature in the entire range from the cleavage position to the test position. Through being close to testing arrangement with the cleavage device and arranging, especially arrange in the testing arrangement top, shortened the route that sample transmitted to the test component after the cleavage, avoid the sample to experience relative high temperature environment after the cleavage moreover, can effectively avoid the sample after the cleavage to be contaminated or be heated and change nature. In addition, pass appearance pipe, cleavage subassembly and testing arrangement and overlap the arrangement in vertical, the sample of waiting to cleave can directly fall on the cleavage subassembly, and the sample after the cleavage can directly fall on the testing arrangement, has shortened cleavage and test path to cleavage and testing process have been simplified, space utilization has also been improved. The cleavage device can fully utilize the inherent low-temperature environment (the low-temperature environment above and close to the test device) of the scanning tunnel microscope instrument, and does not need to add an additional low-temperature liquid circulating device for the cleavage device. For example, the conventional cryogenic liquid circulation device needs to construct a plurality of capillary channels, provides a complicated mechanism for circulating the cooling fluid in the capillary channels, and continuously replenishes the portion lost by the conversion of the cooling fluid between gas and liquid during cooling. This is quite expensive and complicated and is prone to waste of resources.

Fig. 9 to 11 exemplarily show a process of cleaving a sample using the cleavage apparatus 1 described above through bottom views. This process is described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in fig. 9, initially, the cleavage assembly 5 is rotated until the positioning member 72 is inserted into the positioning groove 533, and the corresponding one of the carrying portions 511/first openings 512 of the cleavage stage 51 is located just below the sample transfer channel 61. The sample with the cleavage bar attached is then dropped onto the carrier 511 through the sample transfer passage 61, and the sample with the cleavage bar attached is cooled by the low-temperature environment inside the chamber and the heat conductive member on the cleavage table 51. After the desired cooling temperature is reached, the sample with the cleavage bar attached thereto is lifted via the sample-transfer channel 61 to a position where a portion (approximately a few millimeters in length) of the cleavage bar emerges from the sample-transfer channel 61 and extends into the first opening 512.

Referring next to fig. 10, the cleaving assembly 5 is rotated, and since the cleaving bar interferes with the peripheral wall of the first opening 512, during the rotation, the peripheral wall of the first opening 512 hits the cleaving bar, so that the cleaving bar falls off, completing the cleaving of the sample. The detached cleaving bar falls into the containment box 53 below the cleaving station 51.

Referring next to fig. 11, the cleavage module 5 is rotated in the reverse direction under the sample transfer channel 61 to leave the sample transfer channel 61, and the cleaved sample can be directly dropped into the test module, which is performed in a low temperature environment. In the illustrated embodiment, a limiting groove 518 may be formed in a side surface of the cleaving assembly 5, such as the cleaving table 51, and the limiting groove 518 may be an arc-shaped groove having a curvature that matches the outer circumference curvature of the second bar 42 of the rack 4.

Alternatively, after the cleavage is completed by hitting the cleavage bar with the peripheral wall of the first opening 512, the cleavage assembly 5 may not be further rotated to allow the cleaved sample to remain on the carrier 511. At this time, the cleavage stage 51 performs a function of storing and keeping the cleaved sample. In addition, the cleavage table 51 can also provide a storage function for the sample to be tested in the ultra-high vacuum low-temperature environment, so that the switching and cooling time of the sample to be tested is reduced, and the experimental measurement efficiency is greatly improved.

It should be understood that although the description is in terms of various embodiments, not every embodiment includes only a single embodiment, and such description is for clarity purposes only, and those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments described herein may be combined as suitable to form other embodiments, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

The above description is only an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Any equivalent alterations, modifications and combinations can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and principles of the invention.

Claims

1. A cleaving apparatus, comprising:

the sample transfer device comprises a shell, a sample transfer channel and a cooling fluid, wherein the shell is formed with a cavity capable of constructing an ultrahigh vacuum environment, the cavity is internally provided with the sample transfer channel (61), and the shell is suitable for being immersed in the cooling fluid;

a cleaving assembly (5) disposed within the chamber and movable beneath the sample transfer channel (61) to approach or move away from the sample transfer channel (61);

wherein the cavity is further adapted to receive a testing device.

2. The cleaving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the chamber has a rotating shaft (3) rotatable around its central axis, the rotating shaft (3) has an operating end (32), and the cleaving assembly (5) is sleeved on the rotating shaft (3) in a follow-up manner.

3. A cleaving device according to claim 2, wherein the operating end (32) is located within the cavity and is formed with an interface (33), the wall enclosing the interface (33) comprising at least one planar section (34), the interface (33) being adapted to receive an operating rod having a form-fitting end.

4. The cleaving device according to any of the claims 1 to 3, wherein the cleaving assembly (5) comprises:

a cleaving station (51) having a carrier (511) with a first opening (512), wherein movement of the cleaving assembly (5) under the sample transport channel (61) aligns the first opening (512) with the sample transport channel (61), wherein a peripheral wall of the first opening (512) is configured as a cleaving strike face;

and the accommodating box (53) is connected to the side surface, back to the sample conveying channel (61), of the cleavage table (51) and is provided with a containing space communicated with the first opening (512).

5. A cleaving device according to claim 4, characterized in that in the first opening (512) of the carrier part (511) a carrier surface (513) and a projection (514) protruding from the carrier surface (513) away from the receiving box (53) are provided, on which projection (514) a pressure plate (515) is provided, a clamping space (516) being formed between the pressure plate (515) and the carrier surface (513).

6. Cleavage device according to claim 4, wherein a removable holder (52) with a second opening (521) is provided at the side of the cleavage station (51) facing the sample transfer channel (61), wherein the second opening (521) is aligned with the first opening (512).

7. The cleaving apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a cold stage (2) is provided on the housing to form the cavity, the cold stage (2) having a through hole (21) communicating with the sample transfer passage (61), and a heat conducting member is connected between the cold stage (2) and the cleaving stage (51).

8. The cleaving apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cleaving assembly (5) has a positioning groove (533), a positioning rack (71) is fixedly disposed within the cavity with respect to the sample transfer channel (61), a positioning member (72) and a biasing member (73) abutting against the positioning member (72) are disposed on the positioning rack (71), and the positioning member (72) is capable of falling into the positioning groove (533) under the force of the biasing member (73) during the movement of the cleaving assembly (5).

9. A cleaving apparatus, comprising:

a cleaving device (1) being the cleaving device of any one of claims 1 to 8;

a testing device housed in the cavity and adapted to receive the cleaved sample.

10. A cleaving method, comprising:

-providing a cleaving device (1) according to any of claims 1 to 8;

forming an ultra-high vacuum environment within the cavity and immersing the housing in a cooling fluid;

moving the cleaving assembly (5) below the sample transfer channel (61) to align a first opening (512) of a carrier (511) of the cleaving assembly (5) with the sample transfer channel (61);

moving the sample with the cleaving rod attached through the sample transfer channel (61) to a position where a portion of the cleaving rod protrudes out of the sample transfer channel (61) and into the first opening (512);

moving the cleaving assembly (5) to knock the cleaving bar through a peripheral wall of the first opening (512).

11. The cleaving method of claim 10, wherein prior to said moving the sample with the cleaving rod attached through the sample transfer channel (61) to a position where a portion of the cleaving rod protrudes out of the sample transfer channel (61) and into the first opening (512), the cleaving method further comprises:

and enabling the sample with the cleavage stick to fall onto the bearing part (511) through the sample conveying channel (61) for cooling.

12. The cleaving method of claim 11, wherein the moving the sample with the cleaving rod attached thereto through the sample transfer channel (61) to a position where a portion of the cleaving rod protrudes out of the sample transfer channel (61) and into the first opening (512) comprises:

lifting the cooled sample with the cleavage bar attached to the sample through the sample transfer channel (61) to a position where a portion of the cleavage bar extends out of the sample transfer channel (61) and into the first opening (512).

13. A cleaving method according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein after the cleaving bar is struck, the cleaving method further comprises:

moving the cleaving assembly (5) away from the sample transfer channel (61) below the sample transfer channel (61) to allow the cleaved sample to be sent to a testing device; or

Leaving the cleaved sample on the carrier (511) of the cleaving assembly (5).