U.S. patent number 3,679,900 [Application Number 04/881,498] was granted by the patent office on 1972-07-25 for specimen holder transfer mechanism for an electron microscope.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Hitachi, Ltd.. Invention is credited to Chikara Kimura.
United States Patent |
3,679,900 |
Kimura |
July 25, 1972 |
SPECIMEN HOLDER TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR AN ELECTRON MICROSCOPE
Abstract
A specimen chamber in an electron microscope and the like
apparatus, which is so designed that a plurality of specimens are
accommodated in a small, specimen storage and exchanging
compartment adjacent to a specimen stage provided within a bodytube
in a path of an electron beam, which compartment may be formed
symmetrically on both sides of the specimen stage, and after
evacuating the small compartment to vacuum, a vacuum sealing
between the specimen stage and the small compartment is removed and
a desired one of the plurality of specimens is transferred onto the
specimen stage.
Inventors: |
Kimura; Chikara (Katsuta-shi,
JA) |
Assignee: |
Hitachi, Ltd. (Tokyo,
JA)
|
Family
ID: |
13955057 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/881,498 |
Filed: |
December 2, 1969 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Dec 3, 1968 [JA] |
|
|
43/88871 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
250/441.11 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01J
37/18 (20130101); H01J 37/20 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H01J
37/18 (20060101); H01J 37/20 (20060101); H01J
37/02 (20060101); H01j 037/26 (); G01n
023/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;250/49.5A,49.5B,49.5PE |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Other References
"Specimen Storage Magazine for the HU-11 High Resolution
Diffraction Attachment" by H. Koehler et al. From The Review of
Scientific Instruments, Vol. 36, No. 11, Nov., 1965, Page
1664..
|
Primary Examiner: Lindquist; William F.
Claims
I claim:
1. A specimen chamber of an electron microscope and the like
apparatus, comprising
1. a specimen stage located across an electron beam path in the
main portion of the apparatus,
2. means for moving said specimen stage finely in two directions
perpendicular to the electron beam path from the outside of the
apparatus,
3. a specimen storage and exchanging compartment located adjacent
to said specimen stage for holding a plurality of specimens,
4. rotary mount means supporting a plurality of specimen holders in
said compartment for holding specimens to be analyzed,
5. a sealing gate for sealing said compartment and said specimen
stage from each other,
6. means for moving said sealing gate from the outside of the
apparatus,
7. an exhaust tube for introducing air into or exhausting air from
said compartment,
8. specimen holder transfer means mounted within the apparatus for
transferring any one of the specimen holders from said compartment
onto said specimen stage,
9. means outside the compartment for rotating said rotary mount
means to sequentially position the specimen holders in alignment
with the transfer means, and
10. means for operating the specimen holder transfer means from the
outside of the apparatus,
wherein said specimen holder transfer means comprises
a. a principal body mounted in the path of the electron beam and
being rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the axis of the path
of the electron beam and having an electron beam passage transverse
to the axis of rotation of the principal body,
b. means for rotating said principal body from the outside of the
apparatus,
c. a cylinder having an axial passage for the electron beam for
holding and moving the specimen holder between said compartment and
said specimen stage and being mounted in electron beam passage of
said principal body for rotation therewith and being movable in
said principal body relative thereto in a direction perpendicular
to the axis of rotation of the principal body, a longitudinally
extending portion of the peripheral wall of the cylinder being
pivotable about a pivot pin provided at a preselected position
between one end and the other end of the longitudinally extending
portion, said one end having a hook and a tapered portion for
engaging a specimen holder,
d. holding means for forcing the one end of the longitudinally
extending portion towards the inside of the cylinder to thereby
hold the specimen holder between the one end of the longitudinally
extending portion and the inner surface of the cylinder,
e. releasing means for releasing the hold on the specimen holder
between the one end of the longitudinally extending portion and the
inner surface of the cylinder, and
f. means for operating the cylinder and the releasing means from
the outside of the apparatus.
2. A specimen chamber of an electron microscope and the like
apparatus as defined in claim 1, which further comprises a sliding
member engaged with the specimen holder so as to be independently
movable in every direction normal to the axis thereof, the sliding
member being held between the one end of the longitudinally
extending portion and the inner surface of the cylinder.
3. A specimen chamber of an electron microscope and the like
apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for moving the
cylinder from the outside of the apparatus comprises
1. a member extending through a rotating shaft for the principal
body of the transfer means and being rotatable independently of the
rotation of said principal body with one end thereof located
outside of the apparatus, the other end of said member being
provided with a gearing and a projection which is in opposed
relation to a longitudinally extending portion of the peripheral
wall of said cylinder,
2. pinions mounted in the principal body of said transfer means in
meshing engagement with said gearing, and
3. a rack provided on said longitudinally extending portion of the
peripheral wall of said cylinder and meshing with said pinions.
4. A specimen chamber of an electron microscope and the like
apparatus as defined in claim 3, which further comprises a sliding
member engaged with the specimen holder so as to be independently
movable in every direction normal to the axis thereof, the sliding
member being held between the one end of the longitudinally
extending portion and the inner surface of the cylinder.
5. A specimen chamber of an electron microscope and the like
apparatus, comprising,
1. a specimen stage located across an electron beam path in the
main portion of the apparatus,
2. means for moving said specimen stage finely in two directions
perpendicular to the electron beam path from the outside of the
apparatus,
3. a specimen storage and exchanging compartment located
symmetrically on each side of and adjacent to said specimen stage
for holding a plurality of specimens,
4. rotary mount means supporting a plurality of specimen holders in
said compartments for holding specimens to be analyzed,
5. sealing gates for sealing each compartment and said specimen
stage from each other,
6. means for moving said sealing gates from the outside of the
apparatus,
7. an exhaust tube for introducing air into or exhausting air from
said compartments,
8. specimen holder transfer means mounted within the apparatus for
transferring any one of the specimen holders from said compartments
onto said specimen stage,
9. means outside the compartments for rotating said rotary mount
means to sequentially position the specimen holders in alignment
with the transfer means, and
10. means for operating the specimen holder transfer means from the
outside of the apparatus,
wherein said specimen holder transfer means comprises
a. a principal body mounted in the path of the electron beam and
being rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the axis of the path
of the electron beam and having an electron beam passage transverse
to the axis of rotation of the principal body,
b. means for rotating said principal body from the outside of the
apparatus,
c. a cylinder having an axial passage for the electron beam for
holding and moving the specimen holder between said compartments
and specimen stage and being mounted in electron beam passage of
said principal body for rotation therewith and being movable in
said principal body relative thereto in a direction perpendicular
to the axis of rotation of said principal body, said cylinder being
coaxial with the path of the electron beam and a longitudinally
extending portion of the peripheral wall of the cylinder being
pivotable about a pivot pin provided at a preselected position
between one end and the other end of the longitudinally extending
portion, said one end having a hook and tapered portion for
engaging a specimen holder,
d. holding means for forcing the one end of the longitudinally
extending portion towards the inside of the cylinder to thereby
hold the specimen holder between the one end of the longitudinally
extending portion and the inner surface of the cylinder,
e. releasing means for releasing the hold on the specimen holder
between the one end of the longitudinally extending portion and the
inner surface of the cylinder, and
f. means for operating the cylinder and the releasing means from
the outside of the apparatus.
6. A specimen chamber of an electron microscope and the like
apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein said means for moving said
cylinder from the outside of the apparatus comprises
1. a member extending through a rotating shaft for the principal
body of the transfer means and being rotatable independently of the
rotation of said principal body with one end thereof located
outside of the apparatus, the other end of said member being
provided with a gearing and a projection which is in opposed
relation to a longitudinally extending portion of the peripheral
wall of said cylinder,
2. pinions mounted in the principal body of said transfer means in
meshing engagement with said gearing, and
3. a rack provided on said longitudinally extending portion of the
peripheral wall of said cylinder and meshing with said pinions.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for analyzing a
specimen qualitatively and quantitatively utilizing an electron
beam, by irradiating the electron beam on the specimen and
analyzing electrons passed through or reflected X-rays emitted from
the specimen, etc. More particularly, the invention relates to a
specimen chamber of an electron microscope and the like
apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The specimen chamber in an electron microscope or the like
apparatus is required to be constructed such that a specimen can be
changed easily quickly and a fine movement of the specimen can be
effected smoothly in a stable manner. Namely, since the interior of
the bodytube is maintained vacuum, it has been necessary to
evacuate the interior of the specimen chamber to vacuum at each
time the specimen is to be changed, and the time required for such
evacuation has been a great inconvenience in the operation of the
electron microscope and the like apparatus. For this reason, the
so-called air-lock system is now being employed in the exchange of
specimens. Namely, a plurality of specimens are introduced into a
small, specimen storage and exchanging compartment adjacent to a
specimen stage provided within the bodytube under a path of
electron beam and after evacuating the small chamber to vacuum by
means of a vacuum pump, a sealing between said small chamber and a
specimen stage within the bodytube is removed and a desired one of
the samples stored in said small chamber is transferred onto the
specimen stage.
Various mechanisms have been proposed for achieving the
above-described operation. These mechanisms are required to satisfy
the following conditions:
I. The mechanism is highly precise functionally.
II. The mechanism can be operated externally of the bodytube.
III. The mechanism is compact in size and simple in construction as
it is mounted in a limited space.
IV. The time required for the exchange of a specimen and the
operation associated therewith will not adversely affect the
operation of the electron microscope and the like apparatus.
However, it cannot be said that any one of the conventional
specimen chambers singly satisfies all of the conditions set forth
above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to
provide a specimen chamber of an electron microscope and the like
apparatus, which is so constructed that a plurality of specimens
are accommodated in a small, specimen storage and exchanging
compartment adjacent to a specimen stage provided within a bodytube
under a path of electron beam and after evacuating said small
compartment to vacuum, a vacuum sealing between said specimen stage
and said small compartment is removed and a desired one of the
specimens in the small compartment is transferred onto said
specimen stage, and which enables the observation and analysis of
the specimen to be carried out quickly and continuously.
The second object of the invention is to provide a specimen chamber
of an electron microscope and the like apparatus, of the character
described above, in which the small specimen storage and exchange
compartment is provided symmetrically on each side of the specimen
stage provided within the bodytube under a path of electron beam,
in adjacent relation to said specimen stage, whereby a larger
number and greater variety of specimens than before can optionally
selectively be analyzed.
The third object of the invention is to provide a specimen chamber
of an electron microscope and the like apparatus, of the character
described above, in which the small specimen storage and exchanging
compartment is provided symmetrically on each side of the specimen
stage within the bodytube, so that any one of a plurality of
specimens stored in a first one of said small compartments may be
transferred onto the said specimen stage for analysis and analyzed
thereon can be accommodated into a second one of the compartments
or taken out of the body from said second one of the compartments
upon completion of the observation and analysis on the specimen
stage, whereby a specimen which is susceptible to oxidation or
contamination in the atmosphere can be stored or a plurality of
specimens which were prepared under the same conditions can be
analyzed and observed while storing them in the same degree of
vacuum.
The fourth object of the invention is to provide a specimen chamber
of an electron microscope and the like apparatus, of the character
described above, in which means is provided which is capable of
mounting a specimen on the specimen stage provided within the
bodytube under a path of electron beam and being movable finely in
two directions, or of removing the specimen from said specimen
stage, independently of a fine movement of the specimen stage and
regardless of the position of the specimen on said specimen stage,
no matter at what position the specimen holder may be.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention
will become apparent from the following detailed description of a
preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the bodytube of an
electron microscope or the like apparatus through a plane
perpendicular to the axis of a path of electron beam;
FIG. 2a is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on the line II --
II of FIG. 1;
FIG. 2b is a view similar to FIG. 2a, showing the state after part
of the constitutional elements has been moved;
FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on the line III --
III of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4a is a view similar to FIG. 3, showing the state after part
of the constitutional elements has been rotated 90.degree. in a
counterclockwise direction;
FIG. 4b is a view showing the state after part of the
constitutional elements shown in FIG. 4a has been moved; and
FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a specimen holder,
mounted on the specimen stage being movable finely in two
directions.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The present invention contemplates the provision of a specimen
chamber of an electron microscope and the like apparatus, which is
so constructed that a plurality of specimens are accommodated in a
small, specimen storage and exchanging compartment adjacent to a
specimen stage provided within a bodytube under the path of the
electron beam. After evacuating said small compartment, a vacuum
sealing between said specimen stage and said small compartment is
removed and a desired one of the specimens in the small compartment
is transferred onto said specimen stage.
Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the invention will be
described with reference to the drawings. In describing the
construction of the preferred embodiment, reference is had mainly
to FIG. 1 but occasionally to FIGS. 2a and 3. Referring to FIG. 1,
numeral 1 designates a basic structure of the specimen chamber
provided in the main portion of the bodytube. The basic structure
defines a cavity 2 for mounting a specimen stage 48 and carrier
means for carrying a specimen holder 30 with a specimen to be
analyzed charged therein, which will be described later, and small
compartments 3 and 4 formed on both sides of the cavity 2 in which
a plurality of specimen are exchanged and stored. The basic
structure 1 of the specimen chamber is air-sealably interposed
between an irradiation system 7 and an image-forming system 8
through packings 5, 6, such as gaskets or O-rings, said irradiation
system comprising an electron gun and condenser lenses, and said
image-forming system including an objective lens, a fluorescent
screen and a photographic device.
The specimen storage and exchanging compartment 3 includes a
sealing gate 12 with a packing 11 for sealing the cavity 2 and said
compartment from each other, a preliminary exhaust tube 14 for
preliminary evacuating said compartment and a specimen exchanging
compartment unit 16 sealed by a packing 15. The sealing gate 12 can
be moved by a shaft 10 extending to the outside of the bodytube and
sealed by a packing 9, and the preliminary exhaust tube 14 is
sealed by a packing 13.
The specimen exchanging compartment unit 16 includes a rotary mount
27 and a specimen removing gate 29 with a packing 28. The rotary
mount 27 can be rotated about a shaft 26a from the outside of the
bodytube by a handle 26 which is sealed by a packing 25. The
specimen exchanging compartment unit 16 is removably mounted on the
basic structure 1 of the specimen chamber. The rotary mount 27 has
a plurality of specimen holder mounting holes 32a, 32b, 32c . . . .
. (the rotary mount shown is provided with 8 of such holes) for
mounting therein specimen holders 30a, 30b, 30c . . . . . each
having a specimen to be analyzed charged therein. The specimen
holder mounting holes are each provided with a fixing member 13,
such as a plate spring, for fixing the specimen holder therein.
The compartment 4 similarly includes a sealing gate 20 with a
packing 19 which can be moved by a shaft 18 extending to the
outside of the bodytube and sealed by a packing 17, a preliminary
exhaust tube 22 sealed by a packing 21 and a sealing gate 24
provided with a packing 23.
The cavity 2 includes a specimen stage 48 (see FIG. 5) located the
path of an electron beam and being finely movable horizontally in
two directions to provide for the selection of a field of vision
during observation and analysis of the specimen, and carrier means
for carrying an optional one 30 of the plurality of specimen
holders 30a, 30b, 30c . . . . . , accommodated in the compartment 3
or 4, onto the specimen stage 48. The carrier means comprises a
sealing member 34 sealed by a packing 33, a hollow shaft 36a
extending through said sealing member 34 and sealed by a packing
35, a carrier member 37 connected to one end of said hollow shaft
36a and being rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the axis of
the path of the electron beam by a handle 36 from the outside of
the bodytube, and a cylinder 43 being rotatable by the handle 36
along with said carrier member 37 and also movable within said
carrier member in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation
of said carrier member independently of rotation of said carrier
member. The cylinder 43 has an electron beam passage and is
positioned coaxially with the axis of the path of the electron beam
under normal conditions (the condition of FIG. 3). The O-point as
shown in FIG. 1 is the axis of the passage of the electron beam. A
longitudinally extending portion 47 of the peripheral wall of the
cylinder 43, is formed with a hook 47a and a tapered portion 47b at
one end thereof, and is pivotable about a fulcrum 46.
Extending inside the hollow shaft 36a is a shaft 39a which is
sealed by a packing 38 and rotatable together with said hollow
shaft 36a. The shaft 39a can also be rotated independently of the
hollow shaft 36a from the outside of the bodytube, by a handle 39
connected to one end thereof. The other end of the shaft 39a is
provided with a circular gear 40 and an annular projection 45.
The gear 40 is in engagement with pinions 41, 42 mounted in the
carrier member 37, and said pinions 41, 42 are in engagement with a
rack 43a provided longitudinally on a portion of the peripheral
wall of the cylinder 43. (see FIG. 3). Thus, it will be seen that
by rotating the handle 39, the cylinder 43 can be moved within the
carrier member 37 in a direction perpendicular to the rotational
axis of said carrier member.
The handle 39 is constantly urged in the direction of the arrow a
to part from the handle 36, under the biasing force of a spring 44.
The annular projection 45 is opposed to the longitudinal portion 47
of the peripheral wall of the cylinder 43. Therefore, when the
handle 39 is pushed in the direction of the arrow b under the
condition shown in FIG. 2b, the annular projection 45 pushes one
end of the portion 47, causing said portion to make a pivotal
movement about the fulcrum 46, whereby the specimen holder 30 being
held by the hook 47a can be released therefrom.
The specimen holder 30 includes, as shown in FIG. 5, a specimen
holding member 30.sub.1 having an electron beam passage, means
30.sub.2 for mounting a specimen to be analyzed 30.sub.5 on one end
portion of said holding member 30.sub.1 and a sliding member
30.sub.3 fitted into the other end portion of said holding member
30.sub.1 and being slidable in a direction perpendicular to the
axis 0 of the path of electron beam. The sliding member 30.sub.3
has a tapered portion 30.sub.4. The specimen stage 48 can be moved
finely by the fine movement adjusting rods 49, 50 sealed by packing
49a and 50a respectively, which rods are actuatable from the
outside of the body of the apparatus. As stated above, the specimen
stage 48 must be movable horizontally in two directions very finely
and smoothly, so as to enable a field of vision to be selected in
the process of observation. It is also required to be stable
against an external vibration and to be capable of moving the
specimen in a wide range. However, it is extremely difficult for
the specimen stage to simultaneously satisfy both of such
contradictory requirements and the mechanism for moving the
specimen stage finely in two directions has been one of the
elements which determine the performance of an electron microscope
and the like apparatus. Such problem has been solved by the present
invention. Namely, according to the present invention, as shown in
FIG. 2b and FIG. 5, when the specimen holder 30, mounted on the
specimen stage 48, is carried by the cylinder 43, the tapered
portion 47b of the portion 47 of the peripheral wall of the
cylinder 43 engages the specimen holder 30 very smoothly by the
action of the sliding member 30.sub.3 and the tapered portion
30.sub.4 of said specimen holder, no matter what position the
specimen holder may be in upon being finely moved by the specimen
stage, so that the cylinder 43 can easily catch the specimen holder
30 by the action of the hook 47a. Such effect can also be obtained
when the specimen holder 30, caught by the cylinder 43, is to be
mounted on the specimen stage 48 at the moved position from the
normal one as a result of fine movement.
Now, the operation of the specimen chamber constructed as described
above will be described hereinafter:
With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, the main portion of the body of the
electron microscope or the like apparatus and the cavity 2 are
maintained highly vacuum and hence in an operable condition. In the
compartment 3, the specimen holders 30a, 30b, 30c . . . . . , each
containing a specimen to be analyzed, are mounted in the specimen
holder mounting holes 32a, 32b, 32c . . . . . of the rotary mount
27 respectively, and the interior of said compartment 3 is
evacuated through the preliminary exhaust tube 14 and maintained at
a predetermined degree of vacuum.
1. First of all, the sealing gate 12 is moved in the direction of
the arrow Y by the shaft 10, to communicate the cavity 2 and the
compartment 3 with each other.
2. The handle 36 is turned 90.degree. in a counterclockwise
direction from the position shown in FIG. 1, whereby the carrier
member 37 is shifted to the position shown in FIG. 4a.
3. Then, the handle 39 is revolved, whereupon the pinions 41, 42
are rotated through the gear 40 and the cylinder 43 is pushed out
into the compartment 3 through the rack 43a in engagement with said
pinions 41, 42, and finally is thrusted against the rotary mount
27. The forward end of the portion 47 of the wall of the cylinder
43 is forced open by the engagement between the tapered portion 47b
of said portion 47 and the tapered portion 30.sub.4 of the specimen
holder 30, and the specimen holder 30.sub.e located in a position X
in FIG. 1 is securely held in the cylinder 43 by the action of the
hook 47a as shown in FIG. 4b.
4. By revolving the handle 39 in an opposite direction in this
state, the specimen holder 30 is drawn into the carrier member 37
while being gripped by the cylinder 43. Then, the specimen holder
30 is shifted to the position shown in FIG. 3 by revolving the
handle 36 90.degree. in a counterclockwise direction. The state of
FIG. 3 is attained from the state of FIG. 4b via the state of FIG.
4a, by operating steps (1), (2) and (3) in a reverse way.
5. The sealing gate 12 is moved by the shaft 10 to seal the cavity
2 and the compartment 3 from each other (as shown in FIG. 3).
6. The cylinder 43 is lowered and brought into pressure contact
with the specimen stage 48, as shown in FIG. 2b, by revolving the
handle 39. Here, the handle 39 is pushed in the direction of the
arrow b, whereupon the annular projection 45 at the inner end of
said handle pushes the upper end of the portion 47 of the
peripheral wall of the cylinder 43, so that the portion 47 pivots
about the fulcrum 46, thus opening the hook 47a. Successively
thereafter, the handle 39 is revolved in a reverse direction,
whereupon the cylinder 43 is lifted and thus the specimen holder 30
is mounted on the specimen stage 48. Namely, an electron beam
passes through the axial hollow of the cylinder 43 and impinges
upon the specimen 30.sub.5 (see FIG. 5) contained in the specimen
holder 30, whereby the specimen is analyzed. In the process of
analysis, the specimen stage 48 can be finely moved horizontally in
a longitudinal and transverse directions from the outside of the
apparatus, independently of the body of the apparatus.
7. When the specimen is desired to be removed from the specimen
stage 48 upon completion of the analysis, the handle 39 is revolved
to lower the cylinder 43 again until it engages the specimen holder
30 mounted on the specimen stage 48. The portion 47 of the
peripheral wall of the cylinder 43 is opened by the engagement
between the tapered portion 47b of said portion 47 with the tapered
portion 30.sub.4 of the specimen holder 30, and the specimen holder
30 is securely held in said cylinder 43 by the hook 47a. By
revolving the handle 39 in a reverse direction, the specimen holder
30 is removed from the specimen stage 48 while being held in the
cylinder 43, and drawn into the carrier member 37. Thereafter, the
handle 36 is revolved 90.degree. in a counterclockwise
direction.
8. The cavity 2 and the compartment 3 are communicated with each
other by the same operation as (1) above and the carrier member 37
is shifted to the position shown in FIG. 4a by the same operation
as (2) above.
9. Then, the handle 39 is revolved in a reverse direction while
pressing it in the direction of the arrow b, whereby the portion 47
of the peripheral wall of the cylinder 43 is opened by the annular
projection 45 and the specimen holder 30 is inserted into the
specimen holder mounting hole 32 of the rotary mount 27. The
specimen holder 30 thus inserted is securely fixed in the mounting
hole 32 by means of the fixing member 31 which is provided in said
mounting hole as stated previously.
By steps (7) to (9) described above which are steps (3) to (6)
operated in a reverse way, the position of the specimen chamber is
shifted from FIG. 2b to FIG. 4b via FIGS. 2a and 4a.
The handle 39 is constantly urged outwardly under the biasing force
of the spring 44 acting in the direction of the arrow a, as
described previously, throughout the above-described operation, and
further the upper portion of the portion 47 of the peripheral wall
of the cylinder 43 above the fulcrum pivot pin 46 is pushed by the
annular projection 45 at the inner end of the shaft 39a of the
handle 39, only when the cylinder 43 is in pressure contact with
the specimen stage 48 or the rotary mount 27 (in the state shown in
FIG. 2b or FIG. 4b). Therefore, the portion 47 of the peripheral
wall of the cylinder 43 will not be opened and hence the specimen
holder 30 will not be disengaged from the hook 47a, in the
condition of the cylinder 43 being retracted into the carrier
member 37 as shown in FIG. 2a, even if the handle 39 is pushed in
the direction of the arrow b.
10. For changing the specimen to be analyzed, it is only necessary
to rotate the handle 26 about the axis 26a to turn the rotary mount
27 and thereby to locate a specimen holder 30, containing the
desired specimen, in the position X shown in FIG. 1.
In this case, if the handle 26 is provided with markings each at a
location corresponding to the position of a specific one of the
plurality of specimen holders 30a, 30b, 30c . . . . . when said
specific specimen holder is located in the position X, it will be
possible to transfer an optional one of the specimen holders onto
the specimen stage 48 as desired, with reference to said markings,
and hence to carry out the analysis of the specimens with high
efficiency in a very short period of time.
11. For removing the specimen to the outside of the apparatus upon
completion of the analysis, the sealing gate 12 is moved by the
shaft 10 to seal the cavity 2 and the compartment 3 from each
other. Then, air is admitted through the preliminary exhaust tube
14 into the compartment 3 to allow the pressure in said compartment
only to rise to the atmospheric pressure. After opening the
specimen removing gate 29, the rotary mount 27 is rotated by the
handle 26 to bring the specific specimen holder 30 to the position
of the specimen removing gate 29 and then said specimen holder is
removed to the outside of the apparatus.
12. When a different specimen is to be newly set in the compartment
3, the above-described steps of removing the specimen holder from
the apparatus are operated in a reverse way. Namely, a specimen
holder 30 with the new specimen charged therein is mounted in the
specimen holder mounting hole 32 of the rotary mount 27 and the
compartment 3 is evacuated through the preliminary exhaust tube 14
to a predetermined degree of vacuum.
As stated previously, the specimen exchanging compartment unit 16
can be removed from the basic structure 1 of the specimen chamber,
and with the sealing gate 12 in a closed position, the degree of
vacuum in the cavity 2 is not subject to any change and the
operation of the electron microscope or the like apparatus is not
impaired by the removal of said specimen exchanging compartment
unit 16. Therefore, it is also possible to set a plurality of
specimen holders in the rotary mount 27 all at once, by removing
the specimen holder compartment unit 16 properly from the basic
structure 1 of the specimen chamber.
It is also to be noted that according to the embodiment illustrated
the basic structure 1 of the specimen chamber is symmetrical in
shape with respect to the axis of the apparatus, so that by
removing the sealing gate 24 the specimen exchanging compartment
unit 16 can be connected to the compartment 4 to perform the
above-described specimen holder mounting and demounting operations
therein.
It will, therefore, be understood that by connecting the specimen
exchanging compartment unit 16 to each of the compartments 3 and 4,
twice as many specimen as in the case described above can
simultaneously be charged in the apparatus, which is of great
advantage.
Further, when the specimen exchanging compartment units 16 are
connected to both of the compartments 3 and 4, the following
operation will become possible.
Namely, with a plurality of specimen holders 30a, 30b, 30c . . . .
. , each with specimen to be analyzed being mounted only in the
rotary mount 27 in the specimen exchanging compartment unit 16
connected to the compartment 3 and with the rotary mount in the
specimen exchanging compartment unit connected to the compartment 4
being left empty (with no specimen holder mounted therein), each of
the specimen holders 30 transferred onto the specimen stage 48
through the compartment 3 and analyzed thereon can be taken out of
the body of the apparatus by transferring the specimen holder 30
into the rotary mount in the compartment unit connected to the
compartment 4 upon completion of the analysis, closing a sealing
gate 20 by means of a shaft 18, admitting air into the compartment
4 only through a preliminary exhaust tube 22 and opening the
specimen removing gate of said compartment unit. In this case, the
remaining specimen holders in the compartment 3 are maintained in a
predetermined degree of vacuum throughout the operation of
analyzing the selected one and removing the same from the apparatus
upon completion of the analysis.
It is also possible to set a specimen on the specimen stage 48
through the compartment 4, separately from those specimens
accommodated in the compartment 3, and remove the same from the
apparatus through the same compartment 4 upon completion of the
analysis.
In this case, the specimen accommodated in the compartment 3 are
also maintained in a predetermined degree of vacuum throughout the
operation, as in the case described above, which is highly
convenient in storing the specimens.
As described above, according to the specimen chamber of this
invention it is possible to accommodate a plurality of specimens in
the apparatus all at once and to analyze an optionally selected one
of them quickly and continuously while maintaining a predetermined
degree of vacuum in the main portion of the apparatus.
In addition to the advantage that a larger number of specimens than
before can be charged in the apparatus simultaneously and analyzed
successively, there is a further advantage that even after the
specimens have been set in the apparatus, a separate specimen can
be placed in the apparatus and removed therefrom upon completion of
the analysis of the same, while maintaining the initially set
specimens in the vacuum condition. Therefore, a desired one can be
selected from a series of specimens, such as biological thin
section, and analyzed in a highly efficient manner. Further, a
comparative analysis of two or more specimens can highly
efficiently be attained. Still further, with the specimen chamber
of the invention a plurality of specimens which are susceptible to
oxidation or contamination upon exposure to the air or which have
been prepared under the same conditions, can selectively be
analyzed while maintaining them in the same vacuum conditions. As
such, the specimen chamber of the present invention has a number of
excellent advantages which could not be attained by the
conventional one.
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