Sample vacuum transfer device, sample transfer method and scanning electron microscope thereof

Abstract

The present application discloses a sample vacuum transfer device, a sample transfer method and a scanning electron microscope thereof. The sample vacuum transfer device includes a sample box and a pre-evacuation chamber, wherein the sample box includes an inner shell, the inner shell includes a holding cavity for placing the sample, and an opening for taking and placing the sample is provided on the peripheral wall of the holding cavity; an outer shell includes a groove, and a through hole is provided on the upper end wall of the groove; the groove is open and sleeved on the outside of the inner shell with its opening facing downward; a guide rod, one end of which is fixedly connected to the inner shell, and the other end extends away from the inner shell; when the sample box is assembled on the pre-evacuation chamber, the guide rod is used to open the holding cavity in the pre-evacuation chamber, and the sample in the sample box is transferred to the pre-evacuation chamber. The sample in this scheme is always under the protection of the protective gas during the transfer process, and there is no need to perform a vacuum operation on the sample chamber, which saves the sample detection preparation time and improves the sample detection efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application generally relates to the field of scanning electron microscope analysis and detection technology. More specifically, the present application relates to a sample vacuum transfer device. Further, the present application also relates to a sample transfer method. Further, the present application also relates to a scanning electron microscope. Background Art

[0002] When using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) for material testing, we often encounter some samples with active properties, which are also called air-sensitive samples. Such samples are very easy to react chemically with oxygen, nitrogen, water vapor and other components in the air. This reaction may cause the sample morphology to change, thereby affecting the accuracy of the test results. Therefore, in order to ensure the stability of the sample during the test and the reliability of the test results, the sample must be in a gas-protected state when it is sent to the sample chamber of the scanning electron microscope for observation. Therefore, a gas-protected storage and transfer device is required to ensure that the sample can maintain its original state before and after the test to avoid unnecessary chemical reactions due to environmental factors.

[0003] At present, the gas protection measures adopted in the industry mainly use gas-isolated sample boxes to store and transfer samples. This method is to place the sample in a sample box, then place the sample box in a sample chamber, and evacuate the entire sample chamber. When the vacuum degree in the sample chamber reaches a preset value, the sample box is driven to open for sample observation. The main disadvantage of this method is that the vacuuming time is long and the efficiency is low.

[0004] In view of this, there is an urgent need to provide a sample vacuum transfer device and a method of using the same, as well as a scanning electron microscope, so as to shorten the sample detection preparation time and thus improve the detection efficiency. Summary of the invention

[0005] In order to at least solve the technical problems mentioned above, the present application proposes in multiple aspects a sample vacuum transfer device, a sample transfer method and a scanning electron microscope thereof, which can shorten the preparation time of sample detection and improve the detection efficiency.

[0006] In a first aspect, the present application provides a sample vacuum transfer device, which includes a sample box and a pre-evacuation chamber detachably connected to the sample box, wherein the sample box includes: an inner shell body, which includes a accommodating cavity for placing a sample surrounded by a shell body, wherein an opening for taking and placing the sample is provided on the peripheral wall of the accommodating cavity; an outer shell body, which includes a groove adapted to the shape of the inner shell body, wherein a through hole is provided on the upper end wall of the groove; the groove is open and is sleeved on the outside of the inner shell body with its opening facing downward; and a guide rod, one end of the guide rod passes through the through hole on the upper end wall of the groove and is fixedly connected to the inner shell body, and the other end extends away from the inner shell body; when the sample box is assembled on the pre-evacuation chamber, the guide rod is used to open the accommodating cavity in the pre-evacuation chamber to transfer the sample in the sample box to the pre-evacuation chamber.

[0007] In some embodiments, the upper end wall of the outer shell has a plurality of support arms arranged at intervals, one end of the support arm is connected to the upper surface of the upper end wall, and the other end is vertically extended in a direction away from the upper surface of the upper end wall; a rotating handle threadedly connected to the guide rod is installed at the other end, and the rotating handle has a plurality of hollow portions for avoiding the support arms 1023; when the opening on the accommodating cavity is in the open assembly position, the support arms and the hollow portions are arranged one by one in the vertical direction.

[0008] In some embodiments, the upper end wall has two support arms; a limit member for preventing the rotating handle from rotating downward is fixedly mounted on the guide rod between the two support arms, and the side wall of the limit member abuts against the support arm or has a preset interval; at least one protrusion is provided on the upper surface of the limit member close to the support arm, and the height of the upper surface of the protrusion is not lower than the height of the extended end of the support arm.

[0009] In some embodiments, an elastic member and a guide slider are sequentially sleeved on the guide rod above the limit member, and the rotating handle drives the guide slider to rotate along the guide rod and compress or release the elastic member, so that the side wall of the guide slider abuts or does not abut against the protrusion on the limit member.

[0010] In some embodiments, the outer periphery of the guide slider has a limit groove extending radially toward the center; the outer edge of the rotating handle is also connected to an extension portion arranged perpendicular to the rotating handle, the extension portion is provided with a fixing groove, and the bottom wall of the fixing groove is provided with a through hole; a toggle assembly 106 is installed on the rotating handle, and the toggle assembly 106 includes a round rod, a baffle arranged at one end of the round rod, and a reset spring sleeved on the round rod; the round rod passes through the through hole to abut or pop out of the limit groove, and the reset spring is arranged between the baffle and the bottom wall of the fixing groove.

[0011] In some embodiments, the rotating handle has a shift block extending from its lower surface, and the shift block has an extended state and a compressed state; when the shift block is in the extended state, it abuts against the side wall of the guide slider and can push the guide slider to rotate; when the shift block is in the compressed state, its extended end abuts against the upper surface of the guide slider to avoid the support arm.

[0012] In some embodiments, a fixing ring is disposed on the outer shell. The fixing ring is disposed on the side wall near the opening, one end of the fixing ring is connected to the side wall, and the other end of the fixing ring is extended outward along the radial direction of the side wall.

[0013] In some embodiments, the thickness of the side wall below the fixing ring is greater than the thickness of the side wall above the fixing ring; a first sealing groove is provided on the end face of the side wall at the opening of the outer shell; the bottom wall of the inner shell has a mounting portion extending away from the center of the bottom wall along its radial direction, and the mounting portion has a circle of first sealing members protruding from its upper surface, and the first sealing member is inserted into the first sealing groove for sealing.

[0014] In some embodiments, a clamping portion is further provided at the end of the side wall at the opening of the outer shell, and the inner surface of the clamping portion is abutted and fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the mounting portion.

[0015] In some embodiments, a cylindrical sealing section is connected to the top wall of the inner shell; a mounting groove extending toward the inner shell is provided on the end surface of the sealing section away from the inner shell, a through hole connected to the accommodating cavity is provided on the bottom wall of the mounting groove, and one end of the guide rod passes through the through hole and is fixed in the accommodating cavity by a nut.

[0016] In some embodiments, the outer circumference of the sealing section has a plurality of second sealing grooves spaced apart in the vertical direction, a second sealing member is disposed in the second sealing groove, and the second sealing member is used for dynamically sealing with the inner surface of the side wall of the groove; a third sealing groove extending toward the inner shell body is disposed on the upper end surface of the sealing section, a third sealing member is disposed in the third sealing groove, and the third sealing member is used for statically sealing with the inner surface of the upper end wall of the outer shell body.

[0017] In some embodiments, the through hole on the outer shell has a preset extension length, and the through hole has a first circumferential wall extending vertically downward from the upper end wall, and a second circumferential wall at the extension end that is perpendicular to the first circumferential wall and extends toward the central axis of the through hole.

[0018] In some embodiments, an annular guide sleeve is installed in the through hole, and the guide rod passes through the center hole of the guide sleeve and is connected to the nut in the accommodating cavity.

[0019] In some embodiments, the interior of the guide rod is hollow, and a pressure gauge is installed at the end of the guide rod away from the other end of the accommodating cavity.

[0020] In some embodiments, a detachable mounting platform is provided on the bottom wall of the accommodating chamber, and the sample is placed on the mounting platform.

[0021] In some embodiments, the top of the pre-evacuation chamber has a connection port connected to the sample box, and the fixing ring is clamped at the opening of the pre-evacuation chamber, so that part of the sample box is in the pre-evacuation chamber and part of the sample box is outside the pre-evacuation chamber.

[0022] In a second aspect, the present application provides a scanning electron microscope, which includes the above-mentioned sample vacuum transfer device and a sample chamber, wherein the sample chamber is connected to the pre-vacuum chamber, and the sample chamber is used to store samples transferred from the pre-vacuum chamber by a robotic arm.

[0023] In a third aspect, the present application provides a method for transferring samples using the above-mentioned gas-protected sample vacuum transfer device, the method comprising the following steps: S1, installing a sample box containing the sample in a pre-vacuum chamber; S2, opening the sample box in the pre-vacuum chamber, taking out the sample and transferring it to a sample bin for observation; S3, after the observation is completed, transferring the sample to a containing cavity of the sample box, controlling the sample box to close and removing it from the pre-vacuum chamber.

[0024] In some embodiments, step S2 includes: S21, rotating the rotating handle in a first direction, the rotating handle drives the guide slider to rotate in the first direction, the guide slider releases the elastic member, and abuts against the protrusion on the limit member, so that the guide slider and the limit member overlap in the vertical direction, and the hollow portion on the rotating handle is arranged one by one with the support arm 1023 in the vertical direction; S22, driving the inner shell and the outer shell to move relative to each other in the vertical direction, so that the bottom wall of the inner shell moves away from the open end of the outer shell, thereby opening the opening on the accommodating cavity.

[0025] In some embodiments, step S3 includes: S31, controlling the movement of the robotic arm to transfer the sample from the sample chamber to the accommodating chamber; S32, after placing the sample into the accommodating chamber through the opening, driving the inner shell and the outer shell to move relative to each other in the vertical direction, so that the bottom wall of the inner shell moves toward the open end of the outer shell; S33, rotating the rotating handle in the second direction, and the rotating handle drives the guide slider to rotate in the second direction; the guide slider moves away from the protrusion on the limit member and compresses the elastic member; and stops rotating when the upper end face of the sealing section is completely in contact with the upper end wall of the outer shell.

[0026] In some embodiments, before executing step S1, the sample is first placed in the sample box, wherein opening the sample box is completed by executing steps S21 and S22; and controlling the sample box to close is completed by executing steps S32 and S33.

[0027] Through the sample vacuum transfer device provided above, the embodiment of the present application installs the sample box containing the sample in a pre-evacuation chamber with a protective gas, drives the guide rod to drive the inner shell to move relative to the outer shell, and extends the inner shell into the pre-evacuation chamber, takes out the sample in the inner shell, and exposes it to the protective gas environment in the pre-evacuation chamber, and then the sample is transferred from the pre-evacuation chamber to the sample bin under the protection of the protective gas for sample observation. The sample in this solution is always under the protection of the protective gas during the transfer process, and there is no need to vacuum the sample bin, which saves the sample detection preparation time and improves the sample detection efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] By reading the detailed description below with reference to the accompanying drawings, the above and other purposes, features and advantages of the exemplary embodiments of the present application will become easy to understand. In the accompanying drawings, several embodiments of the present application are shown in an exemplary and non-limiting manner, and the same or corresponding reference numerals represent the same or corresponding parts, wherein:

[0029] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a sample vacuum transfer device according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0030] Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing the structure of a sample box in a sample vacuum transfer device according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0031] Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing the structure of a sample box in the sample vacuum transfer device of an embodiment of the present application from another angle;

[0032] Figure 4 A cross-sectional view in the vertical direction of a sample box in a sample vacuum transfer device according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0033] Figure 5 A schematic diagram showing a structure in which an outer shell is not provided on a sample box in a sample vacuum transfer device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0034] Figure 6 A schematic structural diagram of an outer shell of a sample box according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0035] Figure 7 A schematic structural diagram of an inner shell of a sample box according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0036] Figure 8 Shows Figure 5 Exploded diagram of the structure at X in the figure;

[0037] Fig. 9 A schematic diagram of the structure of the limiting member on the sample box is shown;

[0038] Fig.10 A cross-sectional view of the rotating handle of the sample box in the horizontal direction is shown.

[0039] In the figure: 100, sample box; 200, pre-extraction chamber;

[0040] 101, inner shell; 101-1, sealing section; 102, outer shell; 103, guide rod; 104, rotating handle; 105, hollow part; 106, toggle assembly; 107, limiter; 108, mounting ring; 108-1, elastic member; 108-2, spring groove; 109, guide slider; 109-1, second spring groove; 110, fixing ring; 111, mounting part; 112, first sealing groove; 112-1, first sealing member; 113, second sealing groove; 114, third sealing groove; 115, clamping part; 116, mounting groove; 117, first peripheral wall; 118, second peripheral wall; 119, guide sleeve; 120, pressure gauge; 121, mounting platform; 122, annular member;

[0041] 1011, top wall; 1012, bottom wall; 1013, peripheral wall; 1014, opening; 1021, groove; 1022, upper end wall; 1023, support arm; 1024, protrusion; 1041, extension; 1042, fixing groove;

[0042] 1061, round rod; 1062, blocking piece; 1071, protrusion; 1072, avoidance groove; 1073, second mounting surface; 1081, first mounting surface; 1091, limiting groove. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0044] It should be understood that the terms "include" and "comprising" used in the specification and claims of the present application indicate the presence of described features, wholes, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, wholes, steps, operations, elements, components and / or collections thereof.

[0045] It should also be understood that the terms used in this application specification are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present application. As used in this application specification and claims, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms of "a", "an" and "the" are intended to include plural forms. It should also be further understood that the term "and / or" used in this application specification and claims refers to any combination of one or more of the associated listed items and all possible combinations, and includes these combinations.

[0046] As used in this specification and claims, the term "if" may be interpreted as "when" or "uponce" or "in response to determining" or "in response to detecting," depending on the context. Similarly, the phrase "if it is determined" or "if [described condition or event] is detected" may be interpreted as meaning "upon determination" or "in response to determining" or "uponce [described condition or event] is detected" or "in response to detecting [described condition or event]," depending on the context.

[0047] The specific implementation of the present application is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0048] In some embodiments, the present application provides a sample vacuum transfer device, which includes a sample box and a pre-vacuum chamber detachably connected to the sample box, wherein the sample box includes: an inner shell body, which includes a accommodating cavity for placing the sample surrounded by the shell body, wherein the peripheral wall of the accommodating cavity is provided with an opening for taking and placing the sample; an outer shell body, which includes a groove adapted to the shape of the inner shell body, wherein the upper end wall of the groove is provided with a through hole; the groove is open and is sleeved on the outside of the inner shell body with its opening facing downward; and a guide rod, one end of the guide rod passes through the through hole on the upper end wall of the groove and is fixedly connected to the inner shell body, and the other end extends away from the inner shell body; when the sample box is assembled on the pre-vacuum chamber, the guide rod is used to open the accommodating cavity in the pre-vacuum chamber, and the sample in the sample box is transferred to the pre-vacuum chamber.

[0049] like Figure 1-Figure 4 As shown, the sample vacuum transfer device in this scheme includes a sample box 100 and a pre-evacuation chamber 200 detachably connected to the sample box 100, wherein the pre-evacuation chamber 200 is a chamber surrounded by a shell, and there is a protective gas in the chamber. In addition, a communication port connected to the sample box 100 is provided above the shell of the pre-evacuation chamber 200, and a cover body (not shown in the figure) is provided at the position of the communication port. When in use, the sample is first loaded into the sample box 100, and then the cover body of the pre-evacuation chamber 200 is opened, and the sample box 100 is assembled on the pre-evacuation chamber 200, and the guide rod is controlled to move the inner shell toward the bottom wall of the pre-evacuation chamber, so that the inner shell of the sample box extends from the outer shell, and then the accommodating cavity of the sample box 100 is opened in the pre-evacuation chamber. Next, the sample in the sample box 100 is taken out from the pre-evacuation chamber 200 and transferred to the sample bin for sample viewing.

[0050] Specifically, the sample box 100 in this solution includes an inner shell 101, an outer shell 102 sleeved outside the inner shell 101, and a guide rod 103. More specifically, the inner shell 101 includes a top wall and a bottom wall 1012 that are spaced and arranged opposite to each other, and a peripheral wall 1013 arranged between the top wall and the bottom wall 1012, and the three together form a receiving cavity for placing the sample. In addition, an opening 1014 for taking and placing the sample is provided on the peripheral wall 1013 of the inner shell 101. When in use, the user can put the sample into the receiving cavity or take it out from the receiving cavity through the opening 1014.

[0051] like Figure 4 and Figure 6As shown, the outer shell 102 in this solution includes a groove 1021 that matches the shape of the inner shell 101, and the groove 1021 includes an upper end wall 1022 and a peripheral wall connected to the upper end wall 1022. The upper end wall 1022 is provided with a through hole for the guide rod 103 to pass through. When the inner shell 101 and the outer shell 102 are in the installed state, the groove 1021 is open and sleeved on the outside of the inner shell 101. In addition, the guide rod 103 in this solution is a cylindrical structure with a preset extension length, one end of which passes through the through hole on the outer shell 102 and is fixedly connected to the top wall of the inner shell 101, and the other end is extended in a direction away from the inner shell 101.

[0052] During use, the user can control the inner shell 101 and the outer shell 102 to move away from each other so that the opening 1014 on the inner shell 101 is in an open state, put the sample into the accommodating chamber through the opening 1014, and then control the inner shell 101 and the outer shell 102 to move closer to each other so that the opening 1014 on the inner shell 101 is in a closed state, thereby completing the placement of the sample. Next, open the cover of the pre-evacuation chamber 200, connect the sample box 100 with the pre-evacuation chamber 200, and after the connection is in place, part of the sample box 100 is in the pre-evacuation chamber 200, and part of the sample box 100 is outside the pre-evacuation chamber 200. Then control the outer shell 102 to be in a static state, operate the guide rod 103 to drive the inner shell 101 to move toward the bottom of the pre-evacuation chamber 200, open the opening 1014 on the accommodating chamber, take out the sample in the inner shell 101, and expose it to the protective gas environment in the pre-evacuation chamber 200, and then transfer the sample from the pre-evacuation chamber 200 to the sample compartment under the protection of the protective gas to perform the sample viewing operation. In this scheme, the samples are always under the protection of protective gas (such as nitrogen, helium and other inert gases) during the transfer process, and there is no need to evacuate the sample chamber, which saves the sample detection preparation time and improves the sample detection efficiency.

[0053] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present solution does not specifically limit the shape of the inner shell 101, which may be a cylindrical structure or a square structure. In addition, the present solution does not specifically limit the opening 1014 on the inner shell 101 for taking and placing samples, and the opening 1014 may be provided on the peripheral wall 1013 close to the bottom wall 1012, or may be provided as follows: Figure 5 The peripheral wall 1013 of the inner housing 101 shown in the figure is not arranged in a circle, but is formed by two peripheral walls 1013 arranged spaced apart and opposite to each other. In this solution, the area between the two peripheral walls 1013 constitutes an opening 1014 for taking and placing samples.

[0054] In a specific embodiment, the upper end wall 1022 of the outer shell 102 has a plurality of support arms 1023 arranged at intervals, one end of the support arm 1023 is connected to the upper surface of the upper end wall 1022, and the other end is vertically extended in a direction away from the upper surface of the upper end wall 1022; a rotating handle 104 threadedly connected to the guide rod 103 is installed at the other end, and the rotating handle 104 has a plurality of hollow portions 105 for avoiding the support arms 1023; when the opening 1014 on the accommodating cavity is in the open assembly position, the support arms 1023 and the hollow portions 105 are arranged one by one in the vertical direction.

[0055] like Figure 2-Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, the upper end wall 1022 of the outer shell 102 has two spaced support arms 1023. Specifically, one end of the support arm 1023 is connected to the upper surface of the upper end wall 1022, and the other end is vertical and extends away from the upper surface of the upper end wall 1022.

[0056] In order to facilitate the operation of the guide rod 103, a circular rotating handle 104 is installed at the other end of the guide rod 103. The rotating handle 104 has a through hole in the middle, and an internal thread is arranged on the peripheral wall of the through hole. The rotating handle 104 is sleeved on the guide rod 103 and is connected to the guide rod 103 by a thread. In addition, in order to prevent the rotating handle 104 from blocking the support arm 1023 on the outer shell 102 when the inner shell 101 and the outer shell 102 move away from each other, two hollow parts 105 for avoiding the support arm 1023 are designed on the rotating handle 104.

[0057] When the opening 1014 on the accommodating cavity is in the open assembly position, the support arm 1023 and the hollow portion 105 are arranged one by one in the vertical direction. At this time, the inner shell 101 and the outer shell 102 are controlled to move away from each other along the extension direction of the guide rod 103 to open the accommodating cavity. When the opening 1014 on the accommodating cavity is in the closed assembly position, the hollow portion 105 and the support arm 1023 can also be controlled to move away from each other. Figure 2 As shown in the staggered arrangement, the rotating handle 104 can limit the support arm 1023. Therefore, when transferring the sample box 100, the user can grab the rotating handle 104 to transfer it, and can also grab the outer shell 102 to transfer it, so as to avoid the inner shell 101 falling off from the outer shell 102 due to the failure of the limiting structure between the inner shell 101 and the outer shell 102.

[0058] It can be understood by those skilled in the art that the number of support arms 1023 is flexible and is not limited to a specific number. Specifically, the number of support arms 1023 can be determined according to actual design requirements and structural requirements. The design of two support arms 1023 mentioned in the above scheme can be adopted, and it can also be increased to three, four or more support arms 1023 as needed. In addition, the number of hollow portions 105 can be consistent with the number of support arms 1023.

[0059] In a specific embodiment, the upper end wall 1022 is provided with two support arms 1023; a limit member 107 for preventing the rotating handle 104 from rotating downward is fixedly installed on the guide rod 103 between the two support arms 1023, and the side wall of the limit member 107 abuts against the support arm 1023 or has a preset interval; at least one protrusion 1071 is provided on the upper surface of the limit member 107 close to the support arm 1023, and the height of the upper surface of the protrusion 1071 is not lower than the height of the extended end of the support arm 1023.

[0060] like Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 8 and Fig. 9 As shown, in this solution, a limiter 107 is also provided on the guide rod 103 below the rotating handle 104 and between the two support arms 1023, and the side wall of the limiter 107 abuts against the side wall of the support arm 1023 or has a gap of a preset width. The limiter 107 in this solution is a plate-like member with a predetermined extension length, and the plate-like member has four side walls, two side walls abutting against or adjacent to the support arm 1023 are planes, and the other two side walls arranged oppositely are arc surfaces. The upper surface of the plate-like member has four corners, and two opposite corners have protrusions 1071. The protrusion 1071 is a long strip structure, which has a preset extension length and a preset extension height, and the length extension direction is the same as the extension direction of the limiter 107, and the extension height direction is the same as the length extension direction of the guide rod 103. In addition, the height of the upper surface of the protrusion 1071 in this embodiment is not lower than the height of the extended end of the support arm 1023 , where the height of the extended end of the support arm 1023 refers to the end of the support arm 1023 away from the upper end surface of the groove 1021 .

[0061] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present solution does not limit the number and position of the protrusions 1071 , and it may be two as mentioned in the above solution, or only one.

[0062] like Figure 3 and Figure 6As shown, in a specific embodiment, one end of the upper end surface of the support arm 1023 away from the groove 1021 has a protrusion 1024, and the protrusion 1024 abuts against the protrusion 1071 on the stopper 107, and the height is lower than the protrusion 1071 on the stopper. In addition, in this solution, the number of the protrusions 1024 on the support arm 1023 is the same as the number of the protrusions 1071 on the stopper.

[0063] like Figure 5 and Figure 8 As shown, Figure 8 yes Figure 5 An exploded schematic diagram of the structure at the X in the middle. The limiter 107 is installed on the guide rod 103 through the mounting ring 108. The mounting ring 108 has a through hole in the middle that matches the guide rod 103, and has two vertical and oppositely arranged first mounting surfaces 1081 on the periphery. The lower surface of the limiter 107 has an avoidance groove 1072 for avoiding the mounting ring 108, and the two side walls of the avoidance groove 1072 form a second mounting surface 1073 that matches the first mounting surface 1081. The abutment between the first mounting surface 1081 and the second mounting surface 1073 can prevent the limiter 107 from rotating along the axis of the guide rod 103.

[0064] In a specific embodiment, an elastic member 108-1 and a guide slider 109 are sequentially sleeved on the guide rod 103 above the limit member 107, and the rotating handle 104 drives the guide slider 109 to rotate along the guide rod 103 and compress or release the elastic member 108-1, so that the side wall of the guide slider 109 abuts or does not abut against the protrusion 1071 on the limit member 107.

[0065] In this solution, an elastic member 108-1 and a guide slider 109 are sequentially sleeved on the guide rod 103 above the stopper 107. The guide slider 109 in this solution is also a plate-like structure with a preset thickness, and its shape is almost the same as that of the stopper 107, except that the protrusion 1071 is not provided on the guide slider 109, and the width of the guide slider 109 is smaller than that of the stopper 107.

[0066] When in use, when the rotating handle 104 rotates, it will drive the guide slider 109 to rotate, and the elastic member 108-1 will be compressed or released by the guide slider 109, so as to control the contact state between the guide slider 109 and the protrusion 1071 on the stopper 107. Specifically, when it is necessary to open the accommodating chamber to take and place the sample, the user first needs to manipulate the rotating handle 104 to rotate it along the first direction. This rotation action not only drives the guide slider 109 to rotate, but also releases the elastic member 108-1 through the guide slider 109. The rotation continues until the side wall of the guide slider 109 contacts the protrusion 1071 on the stopper 107 and achieves the limit. At this time, the guide slider 109 overlaps with the stopper 107 in the vertical direction, and the hollow portion 105 on the rotating handle 104 forms a one-to-one correspondence with the support arm 1023 in the vertical direction, ensuring that the opening 1014 on the accommodating chamber is in the assembly position of the open state. Next, the user only needs to control the inner shell 101 and the outer shell 102 to move relative to each other along the length direction of the guide rod 103 to open the containing cavity and take or place the sample.

[0067] When the sample placement operation is completed, the user needs to close the receiving chamber. At this time, the user manipulates the rotating handle 104 again to rotate it in the second direction to compress the elastic member 108-1. As the elastic member 108-1 is compressed, the side wall of the guide slider 109 will leave the protrusion 1071 on the stopper 107, allowing the guide slider 109 to move freely. The user continues to rotate until the inner shell 101 and the outer shell 102 are reassembled together to complete the closing of the receiving chamber.

[0068] It is worth noting that the elastic member 108-1 in this solution is a spring, the upper surface of the stopper 107 is also provided with a first spring groove 108-2 adapted to the spring, and the lower surface of the guide slider 109 is also provided with a second spring groove 109-1 adapted to the elastic member 108-1. In the assembled state, one end of the spring is installed in the spring groove 108-2, and the other end is arranged in the second spring groove 109-1.

[0069] Those skilled in the art can understand that the first direction and the second direction in this solution are opposite, and they correspond to the clockwise and counterclockwise directions respectively. The specific corresponding relationship is determined according to the setting position of the protrusion on the limiter.

[0070] like Figure 2 and Fig.10As shown, in a specific embodiment, the outer periphery of the guide slider 109 has a limiting groove 1091 extending radially toward the center thereof; the outer edge of the rotating handle 104 is also connected to an extension portion 1041 vertically arranged with the rotating handle 104, the extension portion 1041 is provided with a fixing groove 1042, and the bottom wall 1012 of the fixing groove 1042 is provided with a through hole; a toggle assembly 106 is installed on the rotating handle 104, and the toggle assembly 106 includes a round rod 1061, a blocking piece 1062 arranged at one end of the round rod 1061, and a reset spring sleeved on the round rod 1061; the round rod 1061 passes through the through hole to abut or pop out of the limiting groove 1091, and the reset spring is arranged between the blocking piece 1062 and the bottom wall 1012 of the fixing groove 1042.

[0071] like Figure 5 and Figure 8 As shown, in this solution, the guide slider 109 has four side walls around it, two side walls extending along its length direction are flat, and the other two side walls arranged opposite to each other are arc surfaces. A limiting groove 1091 is arranged on the surface of the guide slider 109, and the opening of the limiting groove 1091 faces outward and extends along the radial direction of the guide slider 109 toward the center thereof.

[0072] like Figure 2 and Fig.10 As shown, the rotating handle 104 in this solution is also equipped with a toggle assembly 106, which includes a round rod 1061, a baffle 1062 and a return spring (not shown in the figure). Specifically, the round rod 1061 is a cylindrical structure with a preset extension length, the baffle 1062 is arranged at one end of the round rod 1061, and the return spring is sleeved on the round rod 1061. During installation, the round rod 1061 passes through the through hole of the fixing groove 1042, and the baffle 1062 and the return spring are limited in the fixing groove 1042.

[0073] During use, when the round rod 1061 is aligned with the limiting groove 1091 on the guide slider 109, a force is applied to the baffle 1062, compressing the return spring to make the round rod 1061 engage with the limiting groove 1091, and then driving the rotating handle 104 to rotate, thereby driving the guide slider 109 and the rotating handle 104 to rotate synchronously. When the rotation reaches the preset position, the force applied to the baffle 1062 is canceled, and the round rod 1061 pops out of the limiting groove 1091 under the force of the return spring. At this time, the connection between the guide slider 109 and the rotating handle 104 is released, and the guide slider 109 and the rotating handle 104 can move independently.

[0074] In addition, in the present embodiment, the round rod 1061 is provided with an annular groove, in which a limiting clamp (not shown in the figure) is installed. The function of the limiting clamp is to prevent the elastic force of the return spring from causing the round rod 1061 to pop out of the fixing groove 1042.

[0075] In a specific embodiment, the rotating handle 104 has a shift block protruding from its lower surface, and the shift block has an extended state and a compressed state; when the shift block is in the extended state, it abuts against the side wall of the guide slider 109 and can push the guide slider 109 to rotate; when the shift block is in the compressed state, its extended end abuts against the upper surface of the guide slider 109 to avoid the support arm 1023.

[0076] In this solution, the rotating handle 104 has a mounting hole, in which an elastic member is fixedly installed, and a shift block is connected to the elastic member, and the shift block protrudes from the lower surface of the rotating handle 104. The upper end of the elastic member is connected to the shift block, and the shift block is protruded from the lower surface of the rotating handle 104 when it is not subjected to external force. Specifically, the shift block has an extended state and a compressed state, and can be switched between the two states. When the shift block is in the extended state, the shift block abuts against the side wall of the guide slider 109. When the rotating handle 104 rotates along the first direction, the shift block is driven to push the guide slider 109 to rotate, and then the guide slider 109 is abutted by the protrusion 1071 on the limiter. Then the shift block is compressed and compressed into the mounting hole. The end of the shift block abuts against the upper surface of the guide slider 109. At this time, the position of the shift block avoids the support arm 1023, and the hollow portion 105 is vertically arranged with the support arm 1023. Next, the inner housing 101 and the outer housing 102 are controlled to move relative to each other to open the opening 1014 of the accommodating cavity.

[0077] When it is necessary to control the guide slider 109 to move upward, first control the rotating handle 104 to continue rotating in the first direction until the shift block extends from the mounting hole and abuts against the side wall on the other side of the guide slider 109, and then the rotating handle 104 drives the guide slider 109 to rotate in the second direction.

[0078] In a specific embodiment, a fixing ring 110 is disposed on the outer shell 102. The fixing ring 110 is disposed on the side wall near the opening, one end of the fixing ring 110 is connected to the side wall, and the other end of the fixing ring 110 is extended outwardly along the radial direction of the side wall.

[0079] like Figure 3-5As shown, the thickness of the side wall below the fixing ring 110 is greater than the thickness of the side wall above the fixing ring 110; a first sealing groove 112 is provided on the side wall end face at the open portion of the outer shell 102; the bottom wall 1012 of the inner shell 101 has a mounting portion 111 extending away from the center of the bottom wall 1012 along its radial direction, and the mounting portion 111 has a circle of first sealing members protruding from its upper surface, and the first sealing member is inserted into the first sealing groove 112 for sealing.

[0080] In this solution, a fixing ring 110 connected to the pre-evacuation chamber 200 is provided on the side wall of the groove 1021 of the outer shell 102. Specifically, the fixing ring 110 is provided on the side wall of the groove 1021 near the opening, one end of which is connected to the side wall, and the other end is provided to extend radially outward along the side wall. When the sample box 100 and the pre-evacuation chamber 200 are connected, the fixing ring 110 is clamped on the side wall at the connection port, so that the sample box 100 below the fixing ring 110 is inserted into the pre-evacuation chamber 200, and the sample box 100 above the fixing ring 110 is located outside the pre-evacuation chamber 200.

[0081] It is worth noting that the thickness of the side wall of the groove 1021 below the fixing ring 110 is greater than the thickness of the side wall of the groove 1021 above the fixing ring 110, and a first sealing groove 112 with the opening facing is provided on the side wall end face of the opening of the outer shell 102, and a first sealing member 112-1 matching with the first sealing groove 112 is correspondingly provided on the bottom wall 1012 of the inner shell 101. Specifically, the bottom wall 1012 of the inner shell 101 has a mounting portion 111 extending away from the center of the bottom wall 1012 along its radial direction, and the first sealing member 112-1 is protrudingly provided on the upper surface of the mounting portion 111.

[0082] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that, in other embodiments, the thickness of the side wall of the groove 1021 below the fixing ring 110 may also be the same as the thickness of the side wall above the fixing ring 110 .

[0083] In a specific embodiment, a circle of clamping parts 115 is further provided at the end of the side wall at the opening of the outer shell 102 , and the inner surface of the clamping part 115 is abutted and fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the mounting part 111 .

[0084] In this solution, in order to better fix the inner shell 101 and the outer shell 102 together, a circle of clamping parts 115 is further provided at the end of the side wall at the opening of the outer shell 102. During installation, the inner surface of the clamping part 115 abuts against the outer peripheral surface of the mounting part 111 on the bottom wall 1012 of the inner shell 101. With this design, when the inner shell 101 and the outer shell 102 are assembled, the clamping part 115 can fit tightly against the mounting part 111 to achieve fixation between the two.

[0085] like Figure 5 and Figure 7 As shown, in a specific embodiment, a cylindrical sealing section 101-1 is connected to the top wall of the inner shell 101; a mounting groove 116 extending toward the inner shell 101 is provided on the end surface of the sealing section 101-1 away from the inner shell 101, and a through hole connected to the accommodating cavity is provided on the bottom wall 1012 of the mounting groove 116, and one end of the guide rod 103 passes through the through hole and is fixed in the accommodating cavity by a nut.

[0086] The outer periphery of the sealing section 101-1 has a plurality of second sealing grooves 113 arranged at intervals in the vertical direction, and a second sealing member is arranged in the second sealing groove 113, and the second sealing member is used for dynamic sealing with the inner surface of the side wall of the groove 1021; the upper end surface of the sealing section 101-1 is provided with a third sealing groove 114 extending toward the inner shell body 101, and a third sealing member is arranged in the third sealing groove 114, and the third sealing member is used for static sealing with the inner surface of the upper end wall 1022 of the outer shell body 102.

[0087] In this solution, a cylindrical sealing section 101-1 is connected to the top wall of the inner shell 101, and a mounting groove 116 is provided on the end surface of the sealing section 101-1 away from the inner shell 101, and the mounting groove 116 extends toward the inner shell 101. A through hole is provided on the bottom wall 1012 of the mounting groove 116 for the guide rod 103 to pass through, and the guide rod 103 is fixed in the accommodating cavity by a nut after passing through the through hole. In other words, the bottom wall 1012 of the mounting groove 116 in this solution is the top wall of the inner shell 101, and has a preset thickness. In addition, a through hole is provided on the top wall of the inner shell 101, and the guide rod 103 passes through the through hole to enter the accommodating cavity, and the nut is threadedly connected with the guide column, thereby connecting the guide column with the inner shell 101.

[0088] In addition, the outer circumference of the sealing section 101-1 has a plurality of second sealing grooves 113 arranged at intervals in the vertical direction. Second sealing members are embedded in these second sealing grooves 113, and their function is to form a dynamic seal with the inner surface of the side wall of the groove 1021 when the inner housing 101 and the outer housing 102 move relative to each other. A third sealing groove 114 is also provided on the upper end surface of the sealing section 101-1, in which a third sealing member is embedded. The function of the third sealing member is to form a static seal with the inner surface of the upper end wall 1022 of the outer housing 102 when the inner housing 101 is stationary, so as to further enhance the sealing performance of the entire device.

[0089] The sealing design in this solution fully considers the sealing requirements in both dynamic and static states, ensuring the safety and stability of the sample during the transfer process.

[0090] In a specific embodiment, the through hole on the outer shell 102 has a preset extension length, and the through hole has a first peripheral wall 117 extending vertically downward from the upper end wall 1022, and a second peripheral wall 118 perpendicular to the first peripheral wall 117 and extending toward the central axis of the through hole at the extension end.

[0091] An annular guide sleeve 119 is installed in the through hole, and the guide rod 103 passes through the central hole of the guide sleeve 119 and is connected with the nut in the accommodating cavity.

[0092] like Figure 6 As shown, in this solution, the through hole on the outer shell 102 for the guide rod 103 to pass through has a preset extension length, and the through hole has a first peripheral wall 117 and a second peripheral wall 118. Specifically, the first peripheral wall 117 is formed by the through hole starting from the upper end wall 1022 of the outer shell 102 and extending vertically downward. The second peripheral wall 118 is arranged at the extended end of the first peripheral wall 117, which is perpendicular to the first peripheral wall 117 and extends toward the central axis of the through hole.

[0093] In the through hole, an annular guide sleeve 119 is installed, wherein the bottom wall 1012 of the guide sleeve 119 abuts against the second peripheral wall 118, and the outer surface of the peripheral wall abuts against the first peripheral wall 117, and the guide rod 103 passes through the central hole on the guide sleeve 119 and is connected with the nut in the accommodating cavity. In this solution, due to the provision of the guide sleeve 119, the direct contact between the guide rod 103 and the inner wall of the through hole is reduced, the friction is reduced, and the smoothness of the movement of the guide rod 103 is improved.

[0094] In a specific embodiment, the interior of the guide rod 103 is hollow, and a pressure gauge 120 is installed at the end of the guide rod 103 away from the other end of the accommodating cavity.

[0095] In this solution, the interior of the guide rod 103 is a hollow structure, and a pressure gauge 120 is installed at the other end of the guide rod 103 away from the accommodating chamber to detect and display the pressure in the accommodating chamber. Specifically, the pressure gauge 120 is located inside the hollow part of the guide rod 103 and can directly contact the gas inside the guide rod 103, thereby monitoring the pressure change in the accommodating chamber.

[0096] In a specific embodiment, a detachable mounting platform 121 is provided on the bottom wall 1012 of the containing chamber, and the sample is placed on the mounting platform 121 .

[0097] In the present embodiment, a mounting table 121 for placing samples is provided on the bottom wall 1012 of the accommodating chamber of the inner shell 101. Specifically, the mounting table 121 can be detachably connected to the inner shell 101. That is to say, in the present embodiment, when taking a sample from the accommodating chamber, the mounting table 121 and the sample can be taken out at the same time. This integrated taking and placing method can reduce the risks that may occur during the sample transfer process, such as contamination or damage. In addition, the detachable mounting table 121 is also easy to clean and maintain, ensuring the hygiene and safety of the sample placement environment. This design not only improves the efficiency of sample processing, but also helps to maintain the cleanliness of the entire vacuum transfer device and the integrity of the sample.

[0098] In a specific embodiment, the pre-vacuum chamber 200 has a connection port on the top thereof that is connected to the sample box 100, and the fixing ring 110 is clamped at the connection port of the pre-vacuum chamber 200, so that part of the sample box 100 is in the pre-vacuum chamber 200 and part of the sample box 100 is outside the pre-vacuum chamber 200.

[0099] like Figure 1 As shown, in this scheme, a connection port is designed above the pre-evacuation chamber 200, and the outer periphery of the fixed ring 110 is clamped on the end wall of the connection port and sealed by a sealing ring, and then the ring member 122 is sleeved on the outside of the outer shell 102. At this time, the sample box 100 below the fixed ring 110 is in the pre-evacuation chamber 200, and the sample box 100 above the fixed ring 110 is outside the pre-evacuation chamber 200. Next, the inner shell 101 and the outer shell 102 can be in an open assembly position by rotating the rotating handle 104, and then a downward force is applied to the rotating handle 104 to make the inner shell 101 move downward, and the opening 1014 in the accommodating chamber is exposed to the protective gas of the pre-evacuation chamber 200, and then the sample is transferred to the sample compartment by the mechanical arm for sample viewing. After the sample viewing is completed, the sample is placed in the sample box 100 again, the opening 1014 in the accommodating chamber is closed, and then the sample box 100 is taken out of the pre-evacuation chamber 200.

[0100] The sample vacuum transfer device provided in the present application ensures that the sample is always under the protection of the protective gas during the transfer process, so there is no need to evacuate the sample chamber when the sample is observed in the sample chamber, which saves the sample detection preparation time and improves the sample detection efficiency.

[0101] In some embodiments, the present application provides a scanning electron microscope, which includes the above-mentioned sample vacuum transfer device and a sample chamber, wherein the sample chamber is connected to the pre-vacuum chamber 200, and the sample chamber is used to store samples transferred from the pre-vacuum chamber 200 by a robotic arm.

[0102] The scanning electron microscope provided by the present solution includes a sample vacuum transfer device and a sample chamber, and the sample chamber is connected to the pre-evacuation chamber 200 in the sample vacuum transfer device. When the sample needs to be observed, the sample is first transferred to the pre-evacuation chamber 200, and then the sample is transferred from the pre-evacuation chamber 200 to the sample chamber by a robotic arm for observation. When the observation is completed, the sample is transferred from the sample chamber to the accommodating cavity in the pre-evacuation chamber 200 by a robotic arm, and then the sample box 100 carrying the sample is extracted from the pre-evacuation chamber 200.

[0103] Since the samples in this scheme are sent to the sample chamber through the above-mentioned vacuum transfer device, and the samples are in a gas protection state, the sample observation operation can be carried out as soon as the sample is transferred to the sample chamber, which is convenient to operate and has high detection efficiency.

[0104] In some embodiments, the present application provides a method for transferring samples using the gas-protected sample vacuum transfer device described in the above scheme. The method comprises the following steps: S1, installing a sample box 100 containing a sample in a pre-evacuation chamber 200; S2, opening the sample box 100 in the pre-evacuation chamber 200, taking out the sample and transferring it to a sample chamber for observation; S3, after the observation is completed, transferring the sample to the containing cavity of the sample box 100, controlling the sample box 100 to close and removing it from the pre-evacuation chamber 200.

[0105] In this solution, the transfer of the sample mainly includes the following three steps: step S1 is the installation of the sample box 100, step S2 is the removal and transfer of the sample, and step S3 is the recovery of the sample and the closing of the sample box 100. Specifically, in step S1, the cover of the pre-evacuation chamber 200 covering the connection port is removed, and then the sample box 100 containing the sample to be observed is clamped on the annular clamping ring clamping piece in the pre-evacuation chamber 200, so that the sample box 100 is installed in the pre-evacuation chamber 200. In step S2, under the protective gas environment of the pre-evacuation chamber 200, the sample box 100 is opened and the sample is taken out. Subsequently, the sample is transferred from the sample box 100 to the sample bin by a robotic arm for detailed observation and analysis. In step S3, after the sample observation is completed, the sample is taken out of the sample bin by a robotic arm again and placed back in the sample box 100 in the pre-evacuation chamber 200. Next, the sample box 100 is controlled to be closed, and the closed sample box 100 is removed from the pre-evacuation chamber 200 to complete the entire sample transfer process.

[0106] In a specific implementation scheme, step S2 includes: S21, rotating the rotating handle 104 along the first direction, the rotating handle 104 drives the guide slider 109 to rotate along the first direction, the guide slider 109 releases the elastic member 108-1, and abuts against the protrusion 1071 on the limit member 107, so that the guide slider 109 and the limit member 107 overlap in the vertical direction, and the hollow portion 105 on the rotating handle 104 and the support arm 1023 are arranged one by one in the vertical direction; S22, driving the inner shell 101 and the outer shell 102 to move relative to each other in the vertical direction, so that the bottom wall 1012 of the inner shell 101 moves away from the open end of the outer shell 102, thereby opening the opening 1014 on the accommodating cavity.

[0107] In this solution, step S2 includes two key sub-steps, namely, step S21 operates the rotating handle 104 to make the opening 1014 on the accommodating chamber in the open assembly position, and step S22 opens the opening 1014 on the accommodating chamber. Specifically, step S21 is to operate the rotating handle 104 to rotate along the first direction, so that the rotating handle 104 drives the guide slider 109 to rotate synchronously, and the guide slider 109 releases the elastic member 108-1 while rotating. When the guide slider 109 abuts against the protrusion 1071 on the stopper 107, and the hollowing on the rotating handle 104 corresponds to the support arm 1023 in the vertical direction, it indicates that the opening 1014 on the accommodating chamber is already in the open assembly position, and then step S22 is performed. Step S22 is to apply a downward force to the rotating handle 104, so that the bottom wall 1012 of the inner shell 101 moves in a direction away from the open end of the outer shell 102, thereby opening the opening 1014 on the accommodating chamber, so that the sample is exposed to the protective gas in the pre-evacuation chamber 200.

[0108] It is worth noting that in this solution, when the inner housing 101 and the outer housing 102 are in the locked assembly position, the elastic member 108-1 is in a compressed state, the guide slider 109 and the limit member 107 are arranged crosswise, and the first spring groove 108-2 and the second spring groove 109-1 are mutually limited. When it is necessary to open the cover, the rotary handle is first controlled to rotate upward along the first direction to release the elastic member 108-1, and the first spring groove 108-2 and the second spring groove 109-1 are released, and then the guide slider 109 can rotate along the first direction and abut against the protrusion 1071.

[0109] Through the precise operation of these two sub-steps, this solution ensures that the sample in the sample box 100 can be smoothly transferred to the pre-evacuation chamber 200 to prepare for subsequent observation and analysis.

[0110] In a specific implementation scheme, step S3 includes: S31, controlling the movement of the robotic arm to transfer the sample from the sample chamber to the accommodating chamber; S32, after placing the sample into the accommodating chamber through the opening 1014, driving the inner shell 101 and the outer shell 102 to move relative to each other in the vertical direction, so that the bottom wall 1012 of the inner shell 101 moves toward the open end of the outer shell 102; S33, rotating the rotating handle 104 in the second direction, and the rotating handle 104 drives the guide slider 109 to rotate in the second direction; the guide slider 109 moves away from the protrusion 1071 on the limit member 107 and compresses the elastic member 108-1; when the upper end surface of the sealing section 101-1 is completely in contact with the upper end wall 1022 of the outer shell 102, the rotation stops.

[0111] In this solution, step S3 describes the process of transferring the sample from the sample compartment back to the sample box 100 and closing the sample box 100. This process includes three sub-steps, namely, step S31 transferring the sample from the sample compartment to the accommodating chamber, step S32 closing the accommodating chamber, and step S33 locking the sample box 100. Specifically, step S31 is to control the movement of the robotic arm after the sample viewing operation is completed, and transfer the sample from the sample compartment to the accommodating chamber of the sample box 100. Step S32 is to apply an upward force to the rotating handle 104, so that the bottom wall 1012 of the inner shell 101 moves toward the open end of the outer shell 102, thereby closing the opening 1014 on the accommodating chamber. Step S33 rotates the rotating handle 104 in the second direction, thereby driving the guide slider 109 to rotate in the second direction. During the rotation process, the guide slider 109 gradually moves away from the protrusion 1071 on the limit member 107 and compresses the elastic member 108-1. When the upper end surface of the sealing segment 101 - 1 is completely in contact with the upper end wall 1022 of the outer shell 102 , the rotation stops.

[0112] Through these three sub-steps, this solution enables the tested samples to be removed from the sample chamber more smoothly. In addition, during this process, the sealing of the sample box 100 can be ensured, providing a guarantee for the subsequent processing and storage of the samples.

[0113] In a specific embodiment, before executing step S1, the sample is placed in the sample box 100, wherein opening the sample box 100 is completed by executing steps S21 and S22; controlling the sample box 100 to be closed is completed by executing steps S32 and S33.

[0114] In this solution, before installing the sample box 100 in the pre-evacuation chamber 200, the sample needs to be placed in the sample box 100 first. This step is the starting point of the sample transfer process, and the operation of opening the sample box 100 in this step is achieved by executing the above-mentioned steps S21 and S22. Step S21 involves the operation of rotating the handle 104 to drive the guide slider 109 and release the elastic member 108-1 until the guide slider 109 abuts against the protrusion 1071 on the limit member 107, so that the opening 1014 of the accommodating cavity is in the open assembly position. Next, step S22 realizes the physical opening of the accommodating cavity opening 1014 through the relative movement of the inner shell 101 and the outer shell 102, providing a channel for taking out or putting in the sample.

[0115] After the sample is placed in the sample box 100, step S32 is executed, and the bottom wall 1012 of the inner shell 101 moves toward the open end of the outer shell 102 through the relative movement of the inner shell 101 and the outer shell 102 to close the opening 1014 of the accommodating cavity. Finally, step S33 is performed, the rotating handle 104 is rotated in the second direction, driving the guide slider 109 away from the protrusion 1071 on the stopper 107 and compressing the elastic member 108-1 until the upper end surface of the sealing section 101-1 is completely in contact with the upper end wall 1022 of the outer shell 102, and the sample box 100 is closed.

[0116] Those skilled in the art can understand that, since the sample box 100 is not installed on the pre-evacuation chamber 200 at this time, but is an independent device, when it is necessary to open the opening 1014 of the accommodating chamber, an upward force can be applied to the fixing ring 110 and a downward force can be applied to the rotating handle 104, so that the inner shell 101 and the outer shell 102 move relative to each other to open the opening 1014 in the accommodating chamber. When it is necessary to close the opening 1014 of the accommodating chamber, a downward force can be applied to the fixing ring 110 and an upward force can be applied to the rotating handle 104, so that the inner shell 101 and the outer shell 102 move relative to each other to close the opening 1014 in the accommodating chamber.

[0117] It can also be understood by those skilled in the art that the operation of loading the sample into the sample box 100 can be performed in an environment with a protective gas, thereby enabling the sample to be always in an environment with a protective gas.

[0118] In the sample transfer method provided in the present solution, the operator can easily control the opening and closing of the sample box 100 through the coordinated operation of the rotating handle 104 and the fixing ring 110, thereby realizing the transfer of the sample.

[0119] Although multiple embodiments of the present application have been shown and described herein, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that such embodiments are provided only by way of example. Those skilled in the art can think of many changes, modifications and alternatives without departing from the thought and spirit of the present application. It should be understood that in the process of practicing the present application, various alternatives to the embodiments of the present application described herein can be adopted. The attached claims are intended to limit the scope of protection of the present application, and therefore cover equivalents or alternatives within the scope of these claims.

Claims

1. A sample vacuum transfer device, characterized in that: The sample vacuum transfer device comprises a sample box (100) and a pre-evacuation chamber (200) detachably connected to the sample box (100), wherein the sample box (100) comprises: An inner shell (101), comprising a containing cavity surrounded by the shell and used to place a sample, wherein an opening (1014) for taking in and placing the sample is provided on a peripheral wall (1013) of the containing cavity; an outer shell (102), comprising a groove (1021) adapted in shape to the inner shell (101), wherein a through hole is provided on an upper end wall (1022) of the groove (1021); the groove (1021) is sleeved on the outside of the inner shell (101) with its opening facing downward; and a guide rod (103), one end of the guide rod (103) passing through a through hole on an upper end wall (1022) of the groove (1021) and fixedly connected to the inner shell (101), and the other end of the guide rod (103) extending in a direction away from the inner shell (101); when the sample box (100) is assembled on the pre-evacuation chamber (200), the guide rod (103) is used to open the accommodating cavity in the pre-evacuation chamber (200) to transfer the sample in the sample box (100) to the pre-evacuation chamber (200); The upper end wall (1022) of the outer shell (102) is provided with a plurality of support arms (1023) arranged at intervals, one end of the support arm (1023) is connected to the upper surface of the upper end wall (1022), and the other end is vertically arranged and extends in a direction away from the upper surface of the upper end wall (1022); A rotating handle (104) threadedly connected to the guide rod (103) is mounted at the other end thereof, and the rotating handle (104) has a plurality of hollow portions (105) for avoiding the support arms (1023); when the opening (1014) on the accommodating cavity is in an open assembly position, the support arms (1023) and the hollow portions (105) are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence in the vertical direction; The upper end wall (1022) is provided with two support arms (1023); A stopper (107) for preventing the rotating handle (104) from rotating downward is fixedly mounted on the guide rod (103) between the two supporting arms (1023), and a side wall of the stopper (107) abuts against the supporting arm (1023) or has a preset interval therebetween; At least one protrusion (1071) is provided on the upper surface of the limiting member (107) close to the support arm (1023), and the height of the upper surface of the protrusion (1071) is not lower than the height of the extended end of the support arm (1023); An elastic member (108-1) and a guide slider (109) are sequentially sleeved on the guide rod (103) above the limiting member (107); the rotating handle (104) drives the guide slider (109) to rotate along the guide rod (103) and compress or release the elastic member (108-1), so that the side wall of the guide slider (109) abuts against or does not abut against a protruding portion (1071) on the limiting member (107).

2. The sample vacuum transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer periphery of the guide sliding block (109) has a limiting groove (1091) extending radially toward the center thereof; An extension portion (1041) vertically arranged with respect to the rotating handle (104) is also connected to the outer edge of the rotating handle (104); a fixing groove (1042) is arranged on the extension portion (1041); and a through hole is arranged on the bottom wall (1012) of the fixing groove (1042); A toggle assembly (106) is mounted on the rotating handle (104), the toggle assembly (106) comprising a round rod (1061), a blocking piece (1062) arranged at one end of the round rod (1061), and a return spring sleeved on the round rod (1061); the round rod (1061) passes through the through hole to abut against or pop out of the limiting groove (1091), and the return spring is arranged between the blocking piece (1062) and the bottom wall (1012) of the fixing groove (1042).

3. The sample vacuum transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rotating handle (104) is provided with a shifting block extending from a lower surface thereof, and the shifting block has an extended state and a compressed state; When the shift block is in an extended state, it abuts against the side wall of the guide slider (109) and is able to push the guide slider (109) to rotate; When the shift block is in a compressed state, its extended end abuts against the upper surface of the guide sliding block (109), avoiding the support arm (1023).

4. The sample vacuum transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: A fixing ring (110) is provided on the outer shell (102); the fixing ring (110) is arranged on the side wall near the opening, one end of the fixing ring is connected to the side wall, and the other end of the fixing ring is extended outwardly along the radial direction of the side wall.

5. The sample vacuum transfer device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The thickness of the side wall below the fixing ring (110) is greater than the thickness of the side wall above the fixing ring (110); A first sealing groove (112) is provided on the side wall end surface of the open portion of the outer shell (102); The bottom wall (1012) of the inner shell (101) has a mounting portion (111) extending in a radial direction away from the center of the bottom wall (1012), and the mounting portion (111) has a circle of first sealing members protruding from its upper surface, and the first sealing members are inserted into the first sealing groove (112) for sealing.

6. The sample vacuum transfer device according to claim 5, characterized in that: A circle of clamping parts (115) is also provided at the end of the side wall at the opening of the outer shell (102), and the inner surface of the clamping part (115) is abutted and fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the mounting part (111).

7. The sample vacuum transfer device according to claim 4, characterized in that: A cylindrical sealing section (101-1) is connected to the top wall of the inner shell (101); An installation groove (116) extending in the direction of the inner shell (101) is provided on the end surface of the sealing section (101-1) away from the inner shell (101), and a through hole communicating with the accommodating cavity is provided on the bottom wall (1012) of the installation groove (116), and one end of the guide rod (103) passes through the through hole and is fixed in the accommodating cavity by a nut.

8. The sample vacuum transfer device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The outer circumference of the sealing section (101-1) has a plurality of second sealing grooves (113) arranged at intervals in the vertical direction, and a second sealing member is arranged in the second sealing groove (113), and the second sealing member is used for dynamically sealing with the inner surface of the side wall of the groove (1021); A third sealing groove (114) extending in the direction of the inner shell (101) is provided on the upper end surface of the sealing section (101-1), and a third sealing member is provided in the third sealing groove (114). The third sealing member is used for static sealing with the inner surface of the upper end wall (1022) of the outer shell (102).

9. The sample vacuum transfer device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The through hole on the outer shell (102) has a preset extension length, and the through hole has a first peripheral wall (117) extending vertically downward from the upper end wall (1022), and a second peripheral wall (118) at the end of the extension that is perpendicular to the first peripheral wall (117) and extends toward the central axis of the through hole.

10. The sample vacuum transfer device according to claim 9, characterized in that: An annular guide sleeve (119) is installed in the through hole, and the guide rod (103) passes through the central hole of the guide sleeve (119) and is connected to a nut in the accommodating cavity.

11. The sample vacuum transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The interior of the guide rod (103) is hollow, and a pressure gauge (120) is installed at the end of the guide rod (103) away from the other end of the accommodating cavity.

12. The sample vacuum transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A detachable mounting platform (121) is provided on the bottom wall (1012) of the accommodating chamber, and the sample is placed on the mounting platform (121).

13. The sample vacuum transfer device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The pre-evacuation chamber (200) has a connection port on its top for connection with the sample box (100), and the fixing ring (110) is clamped at the opening (1014) of the pre-evacuation chamber (200), so that part of the sample box (100) is located in the pre-evacuation chamber (200) and part of the sample box (100) is located outside the pre-evacuation chamber (200).

14. A scanning electron microscope, characterized in that The scanning electron microscope comprises a sample chamber, which is connected to the pre-evacuation chamber (200) in the sample vacuum transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, and is used to store samples transferred from the pre-evacuation chamber (200) by a robotic arm.

15. A method for transferring a sample using the sample vacuum transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that: The method comprises the following steps: S1, installing a sample box (100) containing a sample in a pre-evacuation chamber (200); S2, opening the sample box (100) in the pre-evacuation chamber (200), taking out the sample and transferring it to the sample chamber for observation; S3. After the sample observation is completed, the sample is transferred to the containing cavity of the sample box (100), and the sample box (100) is controlled to be closed and removed from the pre-evacuation chamber (200).

16. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that Step S2 includes: S21, rotating the rotating handle (104) in a first direction, the rotating handle (104) drives the guide slider (109) to rotate in the first direction, the guide slider (109) releases the elastic member (108-1), and abuts against the protrusion (1071) on the limiting member (107), so that the guide slider (109) and the limiting member (107) overlap in the vertical direction, and the hollow portion (105) on the rotating handle (104) and the support arm (1023) are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence in the vertical direction; S22, driving the inner shell (101) and the outer shell (102) to move relative to each other in the vertical direction, so that the bottom wall (1012) of the inner shell (101) moves away from the open end of the outer shell (102), thereby opening the opening (1014) on the accommodating cavity.

17. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that Step S3 includes: S31, controlling the movement of the robotic arm to transfer the sample from the sample chamber to the containing chamber; S32, after placing the sample into the containing cavity through the opening (1014), driving the inner shell (101) and the outer shell (102) to move relative to each other in the vertical direction, so that the bottom wall (1012) of the inner shell (101) moves toward the open end close to the outer shell (102); S33, rotating the rotating handle (104) in the second direction, the rotating handle (104) drives the guide slider (109) to rotate in the second direction; the guide slider (109) moves away from the protrusion (1071) on the limiting member (107) and compresses the elastic member (108-1); and the rotation stops when the upper end surface of the sealing section (101-1) is completely in contact with the upper end wall (1022) of the outer shell (102).

18. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that Before executing step S1, the sample is placed in the sample box (100), wherein opening the sample box (100) is completed by executing steps S21 and S22; and controlling the sample box (100) to be closed is completed by executing steps S32 and S33.

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