Jeol Ltd.

Tohru Kasai

Kimio Ohi

A specimen holder support device for use with an electron microscope. The specimen holder support device alleviates atmospheric pressure (back pressure) applied via a specimen holder to a holder inner end-positioning drive mechanism for placing the inner end of a specimen holder in position. The specimen holder has a guide pin. The specimen holder support device comprises a holder mounting member, a slider, a slider-arresting member, and a spring, together with the holder inner end-positioning drive mechanism. The holder mounting member is formed at the outer end of a swinging member so as to extend axially, and has a slider-receiving hole into which the guide pin of the specimen holder protrudes. The holder inner end-positioning drive mechanism abuts against the specimen holding portion of the specimen holder and moves the specimen holding portion axially, thus placing the specimen holding portion in position. The slider has a pin engagement portion and an arrested portion for movement limitation. The pin engagement portion is received in the slider-receiving groove and engages the guide pin. The slider-arresting member has a slider-arresting portion for arresting the arrested portion from the side of the inner end. The spring biases the slider-arresting member to limit movement of the slider toward the inner end.

Vacuum sealed specimen holder support with motion damping means

An electron microscope equipped with a specimen positioning device for moving specimen holders within a place perpendicular to the optical axis of the electron beam between the upper and lower magnetic pole pieces of the objective lens and bringing the holders onto the optical axis. The microscope has a member extending through the side wall of the yoke of the objective lens, a preliminary chamber connected with the side wall of the yoke via a valve, and an exchange mechanism. The member can mount and dismount the specimen holders. The plural holders are placed in position within the chamber. The exchange mechanism can mount and dismount the specimen holder placed at a certain position within the chamber and can move this holder between the magnetic pole pieces of the objective lens from the chamber to the member or vice versa. Once the inside of the lens is evacuated to a high vacuum, a plurality of specimens can be observed successively.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Tohru Kasai