Jeol Ltd.

Fuji Photo Film Company, Limited

Yoshiyasu Harada

Nobufumi Mori

Junji Miyahara

Tetsuo Oikawa

Takayuki Katoh

Masahiro Ohnishi

Takeshi Tomita

Kimio Ohi

Each of two-dimensional sensors is exposed to an electron beam, which has passed through a sample, in a vacuum in order to store the energy from the electron beam on the two-dimensional sensor, and is then exposed to light or heat in order to release the stored energy as emitted light. The emitted light is photoelectrically detected and an image signal is thereby obtained which represents an electron microscope image of the sample. Read-out conditions which are to be used when the emitted light is detected are determined from an electron beam exposure amount which was set when the energy from the electron beam was stored on each two-dimensional sensor. Signals representing the read-out conditions determined for the two-dimensional sensors are stored in a storage device so that it is clear which read-out conditions correspond to which two-dimensional sensor. When light emitted by a two-dimensional sensor is to be detected, a signal which represents the read-out conditions corresponding to the two-dimensional sensor is read from the storage device, and the read-out conditions are set.

Electron microscope image recording and read-out method

In a system for outputting an electron microscope image, a two-dimensional sensor for storing electron beam energy thereon is exposed to an electron beam passing through a specimen in a vacuum to have the electron beam energy stored on the two-dimensional sensor, and is then exposed to light or heat to release the stored energy as light emission. The emitted light is photoelectrically detected to obtain image signals, and an electron beam image of the specimen is output on the basis of the image signals. The specimen is divided into a plurality of divisions, and the storage of the electron beam energy is carried out for each of the divisions. The image signals obtained at the divisions are combined to form composite image signals that represent an overall specimen image formed by a group of the divisions, and the image signals at the divisions are corrected so that signal values of the boundary areas of adjacent divisions become approximately equal to each other.

Electron microscope image output method and apparatus

A transmission-type electron microscope using a sensitive two-dimensional sensor in its micrograph-taking section acts as a recording medium for an electron beam. When the sensor is illuminated with an electron beam, it stores the energy of the beam. When the sensor is subsequently illuminated with light, it releases the stored energy as light. In accordance with the invention, at least a portion of the micrograph-taking section includes a member for reducing the amount of x-rays produced or a member for absorbing x-rays to shield the sensor from x-rays.

Electron microscope

A transmission-type electron microscope comprises a lens system including an electron gun for producing an electron beam that is focused and directed to a specimen. The lens system forms a magnified electron optical image of the specimen from the electron beam transmitted through the specimen. A two-dimensional sensor is mounted in the plane in which the magnified image is formed, the sensor acting to store the energy of the electron beam impinging on it and to release the stored energy as light when illuminated with light or heated. An electron beam-deflecting means is mounted in the lens system and acting to tilt the focal plane in which the magnified lens image is formed, in such a way that a straight line extending from the main optical axis of the electron beam between the electron gun and the specimen does not interset the two-dimensional sensor.

Transmission-type electron microscope

An electron microscope having plural stages of focusing lenses between an objective lens and an electron gun. The magnetic pole piece of the focusing lens of the final stage which is on the side of the objective lens takes a conic form which tapers toward the objective lens. The yoke of the objective lens on the side of the focusing lenses is centrally provided with a conic recess. This structure makes it possible to shorten the distance between the position of the magnetic field produced by an auxiliary lens and the front focal point defined by a front objective lens without introducing interference between the focusing lens of the final stage and the object lens proper. Thus, the observation of an electron micrograph covering a wide field of view facilitates accurate analysis of the physical properties of a designated microscopic region on a specimen.

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Tokyo, Japan

Yoshiyasu Harada