IP Library Granted Patent US 8,963,102
Granted Patent B2
US 8,963,102 · App. 14/373,359 · Granted Feb 24, 2015

Charged particle beam microscope, sample holder for charged particle beam microscope, and charged particle beam microscopy

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,963,102
App. No.
14/373,359
Granted
Feb 24, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

An apparatus that can capture a rotation series of images of an observation area within a range of −180° to +180° around the x axis thereof, and can capture a rotation series of images of the observation area within a range of −180° to +180° around the y axis thereof. The apparatus includes a sample mounting base having at its tip portion a mounting portion for mounting a sample thereon; a rotating jig having a mounting base holding portion that holds the sample mounting base; a sample holding rod that includes a holding portion that holds the rotating jig; a first rotation control unit that applies, to the sample holding rod, a first rotation within a range of −180° to +180° with the extending direction of the sample holding rod as the axis thereof; and a second rotation control unit that applies, to the rotating jig, a second rotation within a range of ±45° or more with the direction orthogonal to the rotation axis of the first rotation as the axis thereof, the sample mounting base being in a conical or polygonally conical form.

Claims (55)

1. A sample holder for a charged particle beam microscope, the sample holder comprising:

a sample mounting base having at its tip portion a mounting portion for mounting a sample thereon;

a rotating jig having a mounting base holding portion for holding the sample mounting base;

a sample holding rod having a holding portion for holding the rotating jig;

a first rotation control unit that applies, to the sample holding rod, a first rotation within a range of −180° to +180° with the extending direction of the sample holding rod as the axis thereof; and

a second rotation control unit that applies, to the rotating jig, a second rotation within a range of ±45° or more with a direction orthogonal to a rotation axis of the first rotation as the axis thereof, wherein

the sample mounting base is in a conical or polygonally conical form.

2. The sample holder for a charged particle beam microscope according to claim 1 , wherein

the sample holding rod includes a rotating jig moving portion that moves the rotating jig to a direction of an axis that is orthogonal to each of the first rotation axis and the rotation axis of the second rotation.

3. The sample holder for a charged particle beam microscope according to claim 2 , wherein

the rotating jig moving portion includes a slide groove that positions the sample holding rod and the rotating jig, and

the rotating jig is slid along the slide groove to a direction of the axis that is orthogonal to each of the rotation axes.

4. The sample holder for a charged particle beam microscope according to claim 1 , wherein

the angle of the conical or the polygonal conical of the sample mounting base is not more than 45°.

5. The sample holder for a charged particle beam microscope according to claim 1 , wherein

the rotating jig is connected to the second rotation control unit through a wire, and

the second rotation control unit regulates the second rotation by the movement of the wire connected to the second rotation control unit.

6. The sample holder for a charged particle beam microscope according to claim 1 , wherein

the rotating jig includes a first gear that is rotated by the rotation axis of the second rotation,

the sample holder for a charged particle beam microscope includes a second gear connected to the first gear, and

the second rotation control unit rotates the second gear to rotate the first gear, thereby regulating the second rotation.

7. A charged particle beam microscope comprising: an illuminating optical system that applies charged particle beams to a sample; and

a sample holder that sets a position and an angle of the sample to the charged particle beams, wherein

the sample holder includes

a sample mounting base having at its tip portion a mounting portion for mounting a sample thereon,

a rotating jig having a mounting base holding portion for holding the sample mounting base,

a sample holding rod having a holding portion for holding the rotating jig,

a first rotation control unit that applies, to the sample holding rod, a first rotation within a range of −180° to +180° with the direction orthogonal to the illumination axis of the charged particle beam as the axis thereof, and

a second rotation control unit that applies, to the rotating jig, a second rotation within a range of ±45° or more with the direction parallel to an illumination axis of the charged particle beam as the axis thereof, and

the sample mounting base being in a conical or polygonally conical form.

8. The charged particle beam microscope according to claim 7 , wherein

the sample holding rod includes a rotating jig moving portion that moves the rotating jig to a direction of an axis that is orthogonal to each of the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis.

9. The charged particle beam microscope according to claim 8 , wherein

the rotating jig moving portion includes a slide groove that positions the sample holding rod and the rotating jig, and

the rotating jig is slid along the slide groove to a direction of the axis that is orthogonal to each of the rotation axes.

10. The charged particle beam microscope according to claim 7 , wherein

the angle of the conical or the polygonal conical of the sample mounting base is not more than 45°.

11. The charged particle beam microscope according to claim 7 , wherein

the rotating jig is connected to the second rotation control unit through a wire, and

the second rotation control unit regulates the second rotation by the movement of the wire connected to the second rotation control unit.

12. The charged particle beam microscope according to claim 7 , wherein

the rotating jig includes a first gear that is rotated by the rotation axis of the second rotation,

the sample holder for a charged particle beam microscope includes a second gear connected to the first gear, and

the second rotation control unit rotates the second gear to rotate the first gear, thereby regulating the second rotation.

13. A charged particle beam microscopy in a charged particle beam microscope including

an illuminating optical system that applies charged particle beams to a sample, and

a sample holder that sets a position and an angle of the sample to the charged particle beams, the charged particle beam microscopy comprising:

a first step of applying, to the sample, a first rotation with the direction orthogonal to the illumination axis of the charged particle beam as the axis thereof to obtain a rotation series of images of an observation area within a range of −180° to +180° around the x axis thereof;

a second step of applying, to the sample, a second rotation within a range of ±45° or more with the direction parallel to an illumination axis of the charged particle beam as the axis thereof; and

a third step of applying, to the sample, a third rotation with the direction orthogonal to the illumination axis of the charged particle beam as the axis thereof to obtain a rotation series of images of an observation area within a range of −180° to +180° around the y axis thereof.

14. The charged particle beam microscopy according to claim 13 , comprising, between the first step and the third step,

a fourth step of moving the sample to a direction of the axis that is orthogonal to each of the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis.

15. The charged particle beam microscopy according to claim 14 , wherein

the sample holder includes a slide groove that determines a position where the sample is moved to a direction of the axis that is orthogonal to each of the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis and

the fourth step includes sliding the sample along the slide groove to a direction of the axis that is orthogonal to each of the rotation axes.

Assignments (1)
CHANGE OF NAME AND ADDRESS Recorded Mar 30, 2020
From: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 052259/0227 →