Sample conveying mechanism

1. A sample conveying system, comprising:

a sample having a pattern surface;

a transport mechanism; and

a sample retention mechanism, coupled to the transport mechanism, for holding the sample, the sample retention mechanism including:

a pair of arms having a plurality of stepped, suspending sections depending therefrom, each suspending section having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion having a height that is the same as or greater than a height of the pattern surface of the sample, and

a driving section to move the pair of arms such that the suspending sections are close to or are separated from the sample,

wherein, when the suspending sections are close to the sample, the lower portions contact the sample and the upper portions do not contact the sample.

2. The sample conveying, system according to claim 1 , further comprising a center arm having a suspending section for supporting a side of the sample other than the sides of the sample supported by the pair of arms.

3. The sample conveying system according to claim 1 , wherein the suspending section lower portion has a flange for positioning below the sample.

4. The sample conveying system according to claim 1 , wherein a distance between a side portion of the sample and a contact portion of the suspending portion in a height direction is an equal to or less than a half thickness of the sample.

5. A sample conveying mechanism that holds and conveys a sample having a pattern surface on a surface thereof, the sample conveying mechanism comprising:

a transport mechanism; and

a sample retention mechanism, transported by the transport mechanism, for holding the sample, the sample retention mechanism including:

a center arm, having a first suspending section depending therefrom, to support a side of the sample,

a first arm, having a second suspending section and a third suspending section depending therefrom, to support respectively an opposite side to the side supported by the first suspending section and a side adjacent to the opposite side,

a second arm, having a fourth suspending section and a fifth suspending section depending therefrom, to support respectively the opposite side to the side supported by the first suspending section and an opposite side to the side supported by the third suspending section, and

a driving section to move the center, first and second arms such that the suspending sections come close to or are separated from the sample,

wherein each suspending section has an upper portion and a lower portion, and, when the suspending sections are close to the sample, the lower portions contact the sample and the upper portions do not contact the sample.

6. The sample conveying mechanism according to claim 5 , wherein the driving section moves the second and third suspending sections and the fourth and fifth suspending sections in a direction parallel to the pattern surface or an oblique direction with respect to the respective sides.

7. The sample conveying mechanism according to claim 6 , wherein the driving section moves the second, third, fourth and fifth suspending sections in a 45 degrees direction with respect to the respective sides.

8. A sample conveying mechanism comprising a retention mechanism for holding a photomask having a rectangular, sheet-like body with a pattern surface and four sides, the retention mechanism comprising:

a pair of arms, each having two or more suspending sections depending therefrom, for supporting the photomask on three sides;

a center arm, having one or more suspending sections depending therefrom, for supporting the photomask on a side other than the three sides supported by the suspending sections provided on the pair of arms; and

a driving section that moves the center arm and the pair of arms in a direction parallel to the pattern surface, and that moves the pair of arms in an oblique direction with respect to respective sides of the body.

9. The sample conveying mechanism according to claim 8 , wherein the driving section moves the suspending sections provided on the pair of arms in a 45 degrees direction with respect to the respective sides of the photomask.