JPH0310603Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field] The present invention is an improvement of a sample holding device for mounting a sample on a sample holder in an electron microscope, which is particularly effective when mounting a fragile sample. Regarding.

[Prior Art] As a conventional example of a sample holding device for an electron microscope, a threaded portion is formed in the sample loading portion of the sample holder, and after mounting the sample, a presser body is screwed onto the threaded portion and tightened to hold the sample. A method of fixing it to the sample holder is adopted.

However, with such a structure, it is difficult to maintain the clamping force of the presser body constant, and skill is required. In other words, if the clamping force is even slightly too strong, the sample will be destroyed, and if the clamping force is too weak, the vibration resistance will decrease, causing vibrations during observation and causing a decrease in resolution. cannot be handled.

Recently, in order to solve such inconveniences, as shown in FIG. In addition, a sample holding member has been proposed in which the arm 3 presses and fixes the sample 6. In addition, a sample holder 7 is attached to the part of the arm 3 that comes into contact with the sample 6, and is attached to the arm so that it can move slightly left and right and up and down. This is an adjustment screw screwed into the case 8 to adjust the pressing force of the coil spring. Furthermore, when the arm 3 is rotated in the direction of arrow A using tweezers or the like in the state shown in the figure, the contact point between the arm 3 and the ball 4 moves below the center of the pin 2, so the arm 3 has a direction away from the sample 6. A pressing force of is applied, the arm stops at the position shown by dotted line B, and the sample can be replaced.

[Problems to be solved by the invention] However, if the sample is pressed and fixed by the arm 3 to which a constant pressing force is always applied in this way, even beginners can easily and stably hold the sample. However, on the other hand, when the sample is pressed, a shock due to the spring force is instantaneously applied to the sample, which may cause the sample to break. In other words, in order to suppress the impact on the sample as much as possible, the arm 3 is held between tweezers or the like, and the arm 3 is rotated and moved to the sample while resisting the spring force, but at this time, the arm makes complete contact with the sample surface. It is very difficult to remove the tweezers in such a state that the tweezers must be removed just before the specimen. As a result, immediately after the arm 3 leaves the tweezers, an impact due to the spring force is instantaneously applied to the sample, thereby causing the sample to break. In particular, recently, semiconductor-related samples, such as thin and fragile samples such as wafers, are often observed, and the impact caused by the above-mentioned spring force is a major cause of sample destruction.

The object of the present invention is to provide a sample holding device that can solve these drawbacks.

[Means for Solving the Problems] Therefore, the present invention provides a sample holder for placing a sample on the path of the electron beam, and a sample holder for holding the upper surface of the sample installed at the sample installation location of the sample holder. A holding member made of a plate-like elastic body having a gently convex side surface, an electron beam passage hole provided in the holding member, and a bearing for rotatably supporting one end of the holding member on a sample holder. , a means for removably hooking the other end of the holding member to the sample holder, and the center of rotation of the bearing is disposed within a plane substantially perpendicular to the optical axis of the electron beam. .

[Example] Fig. 1 is a plan view showing an example of a sample holding device used in a side entry type sample device in which a sample is inserted from a direction perpendicular to the optical axis, and Fig. 2 is a CC sectional view thereof. . In both figures, 1 is a sample holder, which penetrates the side wall of the electron microscope (not shown) in a vacuum-proof manner and is fixed, with its tip between the upper and lower magnetic pole pieces of the objective lens. inserted into. Reference numeral 10 denotes a recess formed in a portion of the sample holder that intersects with the optical axis Z of the electron beam, and a sample stage 11 is removably mounted within this recess with screws or the like. A notch 12 is formed at the top of this sample stage 11, and a recess 14 for accommodating a sample 13 is provided at the bottom of this notch. 1
Reference numeral 5 denotes a presser spring for pressing and fixing the sample 13 to the sample stage 11. This presser spring is processed into a plate shape, and an electron beam passage hole is provided in the center portion of the presser spring that contacts the sample 13. 16 is formed, and furthermore,
Both end portions of the presser spring are each bent upward to form a gentle convexity toward the upper surface of the sample, so that an appropriate elastic force can be obtained when holding the sample. A bearing 17 is fixed to one end of the presser spring 15, and is rotatably attached to a shaft 18 fixed to the inner wall of the notch 12. Reference numeral 19 denotes a hook fixed to the other end of the presser spring 15, and a notch 21 is formed in the lower part of the hook to removably fit into a pin 20 fixed to the inner wall of the notch 12. 22 and 23 are the sample holder 1
and a hole formed in the sample stage 11 through which the electron beam passes.

Therefore, in the state shown in FIG. 2, the notch 21 of the hook 19 is fitted into the pin 20, and the hook is attached to the sample stage 11.
sample 1 by the elastic force of the holding spring 15.
3 is pressed and fixed to the sample stage 11. Next, when the hook 19 is slightly rotated to the right using tweezers, the engagement between the notch 21 and the pin 20 is released. If the hook 19 is further moved in the same direction in this state, the presser spring 15 will be separated from the sample 13, allowing the sample to be replaced with a new one.

On the other hand, after replacing the sample, if the presser spring 15 is rotated in the opposite direction to that described above via the hook 19,
First, the presser spring 15 comes into contact with the sample 13. At this time, only the weight of the presser spring 15 is applied to the sample. In this state, when the hook 19 is lowered further and the notch 21 is fitted into the pin 20, a predetermined elastic force is generated in the presser spring 15, so that the sample 13 is pressed and fixed.

In the above explanation, the presser spring 15 is connected to the sample stage 1.
1, but it goes without saying that this presser spring may be directly incorporated into the sample holder 1.

[Effect of the invention] With this configuration, the pressing force applied to the sample can be applied to the sample surface by gradually pushing the holding member toward the sample holder after bringing the holding member into contact with the entire surface of the sample. It is possible to fix the sample to the sample holder while dispersing it approximately evenly and gradually increasing the amount. Therefore, the sample holding device for an electron microscope based on the present invention, despite its simple structure, can hold even fragile samples.
It becomes possible to easily attach the sample to the sample holder without damaging the sample.

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] A sample holder for placing a sample on the path of an electron beam, and a gently convex surface on the upper surface side for pressing the upper surface of the sample installed at the sample installation location of the sample holder. a holding member made of a plate-like elastic body, an electron beam passage hole provided in the holding member, a bearing for rotatably supporting one end of the holding member to a sample holder, and the other end of the holding member. and a means for removably hooking the bearing to the specimen holder, the center of rotation of the bearing being disposed within a plane substantially perpendicular to the optical axis of the electron beam.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 is a plan view showing one embodiment of the present invention;
The figure is a CC sectional view of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view for explaining a conventional example. 1: sample holder, 10: recess, 11: sample stage,
12: Notch, 13: Sample, 14: Hollow, 15:
Holding spring, 16, 22, 23: Electron beam passage hole, 1
7: Bearing, 18: Shaft, 19: Hook, 20: Pin, 21: Notch.