Hamamatsu-photonics K.k.

Yoshio Isobe

Hirotoshi Terada

Ikuo Arata

Hiroshi Tanabe

Shigeru Sakamoto

Masaharu Tokiwa

Yoshinori Mizuguchi

Norifumi Tomita

For a semiconductor device S as an inspected object, there are provided an image acquisition part, an optical systemincluding an objective lens, and a solid immersion lens (SIL)movable between an insertion position including an optical axis from the semiconductor device S to the objective lensand a standby position off the optical axis. Then observation is carried out in two control modes consisting of a first mode in which the SILis located at the standby position and in which focusing and aberration correction are carried out based on a refractive index nand a thickness tof a substrate of the semiconductor device S, and a second mode in which the SILis located at the insertion position and in which focusing and aberration correction are carried out based on the refractive index nand thickness tof the substrate, and a refractive index n, a thickness d, and a radius of curvature Rof SIL. This provides a microscope and a sample observation method capable of readily performing observation of the sample necessary for an analysis of microstructure or the like of the semiconductor device.

Microscope and sample observation method

A solid immersion lens holderA is provided with a base partattached to an objective lens, and a lens holding partprovided with the base part, extending in a direction of optical axis L of the objective lens, and arranged to hold a solid immersion lensat an end portion thereof. The lens holding part holds the solid immersion lens so that light emerging from the solid immersion lens to the base part side travels through a region outside the lens holding part and toward the base part, and the base part has a light passing portionwhich transmits the light toward the objective lens. Since the lens holding part extends in the direction of the optical axis L of the objective lens, even in a case where an observation objectis observed as located on a bottom surface of recess, the lens holding part will be prevented from contacting a side wallof the recess. As a result, it becomes feasible to observe the observation object up to a region closer to the vicinity of peripheral partof the observation object. This provides a solid immersion lens holder allowing observation up to a region closer to a peripheral part of an observation object even in a case where the observation object is set in a recess of a sample.

Solid immersion lens holder

In a wavelength-variable light outputting apparatus, a diffraction gratingand a shielding memberwhich make wavelength and light quantity variable are attached to galvanometric scannersrespectively, and the latter are swung, whereby the wavelength can be made variable at a high speed while in a state where the light quantity is kept constant. Such an apparatus is useful for capturing a fluorescent image of a biological sample in particular. By way of the shielding memberlight is made incident on the optical fiberand is outputted therefrom, whereby a biological sample SM can effectively be irradiated with light.

Variable-wavelength optical output device

Growing community of inventors

Hamamatsu, Japan

Yoshio Isobe