Carbon rod holder and carbon rod cutting method

Abstract

To provide an economical technique capable of improving work efficiency by increasing the use rate of a carbon rod.SOLUTION: There are provided a carbon rod holder and arts related thereto, and the carbon rod holder is to hold a columnar and long carbon rod of larger than 1 mm to equal to or shorter than 6 mm in diameter, and can hold the carbon rod by putting long holder bodies closer to each other by threaded engagement means with a ;columnar side face of the carbon rod held between the holder bodies, wherein a holder body comprises a long cover holder which has a semicylindrical shape on an inner circumference at one end and a long receiving holder which has a semicylindrical shape on an inner circumference at one end, as different bodies, and also has the cover holder and receiving holder put one over the other to form a long space where the carbon rod can be held.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a carbon rod holder and a method for cutting a carbon rod.

Background Art

[0002] Carbon deposition is used as a surface treatment. Patent Document 1 discloses a carbon deposition apparatus in which carbon that is easily oxidized is filled with argon gas, which is an inert gas, in an airtight container, and the pressure in the airtight container is set to 0.5 Pa to 5 Pa. It is described that it is desirable to use a carbon rod having a thickness of about 0.5 mm to 1 mm in diameter.

[0003] Carbon mainly having sp3 hybrid orbitals is applied to a coating layer excellent in insulation, lubricity, or strength as a diamond thin film, a diamond-like carbon thin film, or the like.

[0004] Carbon mainly having sp2 hybrid orbitals is applied to electronic materials and the like because of its excellent conductivity.

[0005] Carbon having sp2 hybrid orbitals is also used, for example, for pretreatment of an object to be observed by an electron microscope such as a scanning electron microscope (hereinafter referred to as SEM) or an electron probe microanalyzer (hereinafter referred to as EPMA).

[0006] When observing a non-conductive sample such as an organic compound with SEM or EPMA, if conductive treatment is not performed, the sample becomes charged, distortion occurs in the image, or an abnormal contrast image is obtained, and an accurate image cannot be obtained.

[0007] For SEM observation, metals other than carbon, such as gold and platinum, can be used as deposition sources. However, when using EPMA or an energy-dispersive X-ray detector (EDS) attached to the SEM to analyze elements contained within the SEM observation field, the following concerns exist.

[0008] When metals such as gold and platinum are used as deposition sources, if the elements of the deposition source are the same as the elements contained in the sample, it becomes impossible to identify those elements. Alternatively, even if the elements of the deposition source and the elements contained in the sample are different, peaks detected from the deposition source may interfere, making it impossible to identify the elements contained in the sample.

[0009] Therefore, carbon is generally used as the deposition source. Since carbon is easily oxidized, vacuum carbon deposition is preferred. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0010] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2010-059525 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0011] The tip of the carbon rod to be evaporated needs to be machined into a cone shape with the axis as the apex. Specifically, the tip needs to be sharpened to an angle of 20° or less. This sharpening suppresses the generation of coarse carbon particles caused by excessive current flow. The conical shape ensures that the amount of carbon sublimated and gasified is uniform in the direction normal to the carbon rod, thereby suppressing uneven deposition.

[0012] The carbon rods used in the above vapor deposition process have a diameter (hereinafter also referred to as outer diameter) smaller than that of a pencil. In this specification, we refer to the case where the outer diameter of a cylindrical carbon rod is greater than 1 mm and 6 mm or less.

[0013] The conical shaping and sharpening described above can be easily performed using a pencil sharpener. Among pencil sharpeners, a handle-type sharpener that can fix the carbon rod without eccentricity is preferable. A handle-type sharpener can also be called a hand pencil sharpener.

[0014] The carbon rods are consumed and shortened with repeated vapor deposition. Each time, the tip has to be sharpened into a cone shape using a rotary-handle pencil sharpener.

[0015] However, when inserting a carbon rod into a rotary-handle pencil sharpener, the sharpener's clip needs to be long enough to grip the carbon rod. To give a specific example, considering the portion of the carbon rod that the sharpener's clip grips when inserted into a rotary-handle pencil sharpener, if the carbon rod is 100mm long, 60mm will fit into the sharpener's clip. This means that if 40mm of the carbon rod is used, it will no longer be held by the sharpener's clip, and consequently, only 40mm can be used for vacuum deposition. In that case, the remaining 60mm of the carbon rod must be discarded. In other words, the utilization rate of the carbon rod is 40%, and the remaining 60% of the carbon rod is discarded. This is not economical. Moreover, the carbon rod will have to be replaced frequently, which will reduce work efficiency.

[0016] The present invention aims to provide an economical and work-efficiency-enhancing technology by increasing the utilization rate of carbon rods. [Means for solving the problem]

[0017] The inventors of this invention conducted thorough research to solve the above problems. They discovered that the utilization rate of carbon rods can be increased by using a dedicated holder for holding carbon rods.

[0018] Based on the above findings, embodiments of the present invention are as follows. A first aspect of the present invention is: A holder for holding a long carbon rod having a cylindrical shape with a diameter exceeding 1 mm and not exceeding 6 mm, the carbon rod can be held by bringing the holder bodies close to each other by screwing means with the cylindrical side surface of the carbon rod sandwiched between the long holder bodies, the holder body, a long covering holder having a semi-cylindrical inner periphery at one end, a long receiving holder having a semi-cylindrical inner periphery at one end, are provided as separate bodies respectively, by overlapping the covering holder and the receiving holder to form the holder body, a long space capable of holding the carbon rod is formed 、 The carbon rod is a carbon rod used for carbon deposition as a pretreatment for electron microscope samples. This is a carbon rod holder.

[0019] A second aspect of the present invention is when the carbon rod is held by the screwing means, when the carbon rod holder is viewed from the longitudinal direction, the contour of the holder body fits within a circle with a diameter of 8 mm, which is the carbon rod holder according to the first aspect.

[0020] A third aspect of the present invention is when the covering holder and the receiving holder are overlapped in a state where the screwing means is absent and the carbon rod is present, a gap is formed between the covering holder and the receiving holder, which is the carbon rod holder according to the first or second aspect.

[0021] A fourth aspect of the present invention is that at a predetermined position in the longitudinal direction, the radius of curvature of the semi-cylindrical inner periphery at one end of the covering holder is equal to the radius of curvature of the semi-cylindrical inner periphery at one end of the receiving holder, and both inner peripheries at the predetermined position have dimensions smaller than the semi-arc of the radius of curvature, which is the carbon rod holder according to any one of the first to third aspects.

[0022] A fifth aspect of the present invention is At least two of the aforementioned screwing means are provided. Each of the first and second screwing means passes through the central axis of the elongated space from a vertical direction, The second screwing means is provided closer to the center in the longitudinal direction than the first screwing means, The carbon rod holder is according to any one of the first to fourth embodiments, wherein the carbon rod is held in the elongated space closer to another end in the longitudinal direction than the second screwing means.

[0023] A sixth aspect of the present invention is: Each of the first and second screwing means comprises a fixing screw having a male thread, a hole provided in the cover holder, and a female screw hole provided in the receiving holder. The aforementioned cover holder is provided with a terrace portion. The carbon rod holder according to the fifth embodiment, wherein, while the holder body holds the carbon rod, each of the fixing screws is rotated to continuously tighten the carbon rod, and when the heads of each of the fixing screws come into contact with the terrace portion, when the carbon rod holder is viewed from the longitudinal direction, each of the fixing screws is contained within the contour of the carbon rod holder.

[0024] A seventh aspect of the present invention is: The carbon rod holder is cylindrical in shape, and the outer diameter of the carbon rod holder is 7 mm or more and 8 mm or less, as described in the sixth embodiment.

[0026] This invention 8 The manner of is, A holder for holding a long, cylindrical carbon rod with a diameter exceeding 1 mm and a length of 6 mm or less, The carbon rod is a carbon rod used for carbon deposition as a pretreatment for electron microscope samples. This method for sharpening a carbon rod involves inserting the carbon rod holder, which holds the carbon rod, into a pencil sharpener by clamping the cylindrical side surface of the carbon rod between long holder bodies and bringing the holder bodies close together using a screw-fitting mechanism, thereby sharpening the carbon rod. [Effects of the Invention]

[0027] According to the present invention, by increasing the utilization rate of carbon rods, it is possible to provide an economical technology that can improve work efficiency. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0028] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of the carbon rod holder according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2(a) is a schematic side view of the cover holder according to this embodiment, viewed from the Y1 direction to the Y2 direction. Figure 2(b) is a schematic front view of the cover holder according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 3(a) is a schematic side view of the receiving holder according to this embodiment, viewed from the Y1 direction to the Y2 direction. Figure 3(b) is a schematic front view of the receiving holder according to this embodiment. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a schematic plan view of the carbon rod holder according to this embodiment when a carbon rod is inserted into it. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a schematic front view of the carbon rod holder according to this embodiment when a carbon rod is inserted into it. [Figure 6] Figure 6(a) is a schematic side view of the cover holder according to this embodiment, viewed from the Y1 direction to the Y2 direction. Figure 6(b) is a schematic side view of the receiving holder according to this embodiment, viewed from the Y1 direction to the Y2 direction. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a schematic front view of the insertion hole of a rotary-handle pencil sharpener. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the inside of a rotary-handle pencil sharpener when the preferred example is not applied. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the inside of a rotary-handle pencil sharpener when a preferred example is applied. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0029] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in the following order. 1. Carbon rod 2. Carbon rod holder 3. Further specific and modified examples of the carbon rod holder 1 4. How to use Carbon Rod Holder 1 (Carbon Rod Sharpening Method)

[0030] <1. Carbon rod> As mentioned above, carbon is frequently used as a deposition source when observing non-conductive samples such as organic compounds with an electron microscope such as a SEM or EPMA. In this case, a carbon rod is used. Specifically, a carbon rod is used to deposit carbon onto the surface of the object to be observed by evaporating the tip of the carbon rod. In other words, the carbon rod described herein is preferably a carbon rod for carbon deposition as a pretreatment for electron microscope samples, which is one embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] The carbon rods are defined as long, cylindrical carbon rods with a diameter exceeding 1 mm and no more than 6 mm. There are no restrictions on the length in the longitudinal direction, but a length of 70 mm or more (for example, 100 mm) is given as an example. Unlike pencils, carbon rods are composed solely of carbon, excluding unavoidable impurities.

[0032] When performing carbon deposition, it is necessary to sharpen the tip of the carbon rod to an angle of 20° or less and to shape it into a cone with the axis as the apex. This process can be carried out using a rotary-handle pencil sharpener. However, the portion of the carbon rod that the pencil sharpener's clip grips must be secured. Taking this into consideration, the inventors have created the following carbon rod holder and related technologies.

[0033] <2. Carbon rod holder> The carbon rod holder according to this embodiment will now be described. The carbon rod holder according to this embodiment has the following configuration. A holder for holding a long, cylindrical carbon rod with a diameter exceeding 1 mm and a length of 6 mm or less, The carbon rod can be held by sandwiching its cylindrical side surface between two long holder bodies and bringing the holder bodies close together using a screw-fitting mechanism. The holder body is, A long cover holder with a semi-cylindrical inner circumference at one end, A long receiving holder with a semi-cylindrical shape at one end, Each of these is provided as a separate entity. A carbon rod holder is formed by stacking the cover holder and the receiving holder to create the holder body, thereby creating a long space capable of holding the carbon rod.

[0034] Hereinafter, the direction in which the carbon rod holder is located along its longitudinal direction, with the opening of the space for holding the carbon rods, will be referred to as the X1 direction (front), and the opposite direction as the X2 direction (rear). The direction of the top of the ceiling will be referred to as the Z1 direction (up), and the opposite direction as the Z2 direction (down). The direction perpendicular to the longitudinal and vertical directions, with the left end when viewed from the front towards the opening, will be referred to as the Y1 direction, and the opposite direction, with the right end when viewed from the front towards the opening, will be referred to as the Y2 direction. In this specification, a plan view is the view from the Z1 direction to the Z2 direction, a front view is the view from the X1 direction to the X2 direction, and a cross-sectional view is a cross-sectional view in the YZ plane perpendicular to the X1-X2 direction.

[0035] Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of the carbon rod holder according to this embodiment. Figure 2(a) is a schematic side view of the cover holder according to this embodiment, viewed from the Y1 direction to the Y2 direction. Figure 2(b) is a schematic front view of the cover holder according to this embodiment. Figure 3(a) is a schematic side view of the receiving holder according to this embodiment, viewed from the Y1 direction to the Y2 direction. Figure 3(b) is a schematic front view of the receiving holder according to this embodiment. Figure 4 is a schematic plan view of the carbon rod holder according to this embodiment when a carbon rod is inserted into it.

[0036] In this embodiment, the cover holder 2 is installed above, and the receiving holder 3 is installed below. Both the cover holder 2 and the receiving holder 3 have a semi-cylindrical shape at one end in the longitudinal direction (the front end in this embodiment). Therefore, by overlapping these ends, it is possible to form a long cylindrical space with an opening 4 at the front.

[0037] Furthermore, as mentioned above, a rotary-handle pencil sharpener can be used to sharpen the tip of the carbon rod and create a conical shape with the axis as the apex. The outer diameter of a pencil is specified as 8 mm or less in JIS S 6006. In this embodiment, when the carbon rod is held by the screw mechanism, the outline of the holder body can be contained within a circle with a diameter of 8 mm when viewed from the longitudinal direction, allowing the entire carbon rod holder to be inserted into the insertion hole of the pencil sharpener, thereby increasing the utilization rate of the carbon rod.

[0038] Figure 5 is a schematic front view of the carbon rod holder according to this embodiment when a carbon rod is inserted into it.

[0039] Regarding the cylindrical space, in this embodiment, when the cover holder 2 and the receiving holder 3 are stacked without a screwing mechanism and with the carbon rod C present, it is preferable that a gap G is created between the cover holder 2 and the receiving holder 3. It is preferable that the carbon rod C is exposed through this gap G. In other words, when the cover holder 2 and the receiving holder 3 are brought into contact to form the cylindrical space without a screwing mechanism, it is preferable that the carbon rod C does not fit completely into the space. For this reason, a screwing mechanism is provided.

[0040] Even if the carbon rod C does not fit completely into the space, the carbon rod C is pressed down from above and below by both holders by fixing the cover holder 2 and the receiving holder 3 with a screw mechanism. As a result, the carbon rod C can be fixed to the main holder consisting of the cover holder 2 and the receiving holder 3.

[0041] Specific examples of this space are as follows: "At a predetermined position in the longitudinal direction, the radius of curvature of the inner circumference of the semi-cylindrical shape at one end of the cover holder 2 is equal to the radius of curvature of the inner circumference of the semi-cylindrical shape at one end of the receiving holder 3, and, Both inner circumferences at the predetermined position have dimensions smaller than the semicircular arc of the radius of curvature.

[0042] In other words, the following structure is preferable. "The inner circumference of the semi-cylindrical cross-section at one end of the cover holder 2 has a radius of curvature equal to the radius of curvature of the cross-section of the carbon rod C, and has dimensions smaller than the semicircular arc of the cross-section of the carbon rod C." The inner circumference of the semi-cylindrical cross-section at one end of the receiving holder 3 has a radius of curvature equal to the radius of curvature of the cross-section of the carbon rod C, and has dimensions smaller than the semicircular arc of the cross-section of the carbon rod C.

[0043] "Equal radii of curvature" means that the difference between the two radii of curvature is 0.5 mmR or less (preferably 0.1 mmR or less, and especially preferably perfectly identical).

[0044] "A dimension smaller than the semicircle of the radius of curvature" is one specific expression that describes the gap G that will be created between the cover holder 2 and the receiving holder 3 when the cover holder 2 and the receiving holder 3 are stacked together without a screw mechanism and with the carbon rod C present.

[0045] At a predetermined position in the longitudinal direction, the shape of the inner circumference of the semi-cylindrical shape at one end of the cover holder 2 may be the same as the shape of the inner circumference of the semi-cylindrical shape at one end of the receiving holder 3. It is preferable that the shapes of the inner circumferences of both holders are vertically symmetrical when the two holders are superimposed.

[0046] If the diameter of the opening 4 in the space created when the two holders are stacked is larger than the outer diameter of the carbon rod C, then a space-filling member such as a commercially available O-ring or rubber band can be used to fix the carbon rod C so that its axis aligns with the axis of the carbon rod holder 1. In other words, if the diameter of the opening 4 in the space is larger than the outer diameter of the carbon rod C, then by providing a space-filling member, a gap G is created between the cover holder 2 and the receiving holder 3, and finally, the cover holder 2, the receiving holder 3, and the carbon rod C can be fixed together by a screw mechanism.

[0047] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the size of the inner circumference of both holders may be varied from front to back. This variation may be continuous or discontinuous (in Figures 2 and 3, the change is discontinuous, with the cross-sectional area of ​​the space becoming smaller at a certain point from the opening 4). This configuration allows the carbon rod holder 1 to accommodate carbon rods C of various outer diameters.

[0048] In this embodiment, at least two screwing means are provided. Each of the first screwing means 5 and the second screwing means 6 passes through the central axis of the elongated space from a vertical direction, The first screwing means 5 is provided near one end of the holder body in the longitudinal direction, The second screwing means 6 is provided closer to the center than the first screwing means 5. It is preferable that the carbon rod C is held in the elongated space located closer to another end in the longitudinal direction than the second screwing means 6.

[0049] One specific example of a screwing mechanism is a set of male screws 5 and 6, through holes 22 and 23 formed in the cover holder 2, and holes (i.e., female screw holes) 32 and 33 formed in the receiving holder 3.

[0050] The central axis of a long space refers to the X-axis that passes through the center of the cross-sectional view of the cylindrical space. If it is difficult to determine the center of the cross-sectional view of the cylindrical space, it can be rephrased as the centroid of the space in the cross-sectional view.

[0051] The first screwing means 5 is preferably provided near the opposite end (rear) of the opening 4 of the cylindrical space when the parts are superimposed. The second screwing means 6 is preferably provided closer to the center (closer to the other end in the longitudinal direction, closer to the front) than the first screwing means 5.

[0052] The presence of the second screwing mechanism 6 eliminates the elongated space. In other words, space for holding the carbon rod C can only be secured in front of the second screwing mechanism 6. There are no limitations on the position of the second screwing mechanism 6 in the elongated direction, but it is preferable to position it as close to the center (forward) as possible to the first screwing mechanism 5, while also being as close to the first screwing mechanism 5 as possible (rearward). This allows for a longer space to be secured in the elongated direction for holding the carbon rod C.

[0053] By providing at least two screwing means, both holders are sufficiently fixed when the fixing screws 5 and 6 pass through the cover holder 2 and the receiving holder 3. For example, at least two screwing means may be provided along the longitudinal direction of the holder body. Furthermore, there are no limitations on the location of the screwing means. For example, both the first screwing means 5 (rear side) and the second screwing means 6 (front side) may be provided closer to the center in the longitudinal direction. Moreover, in addition to the first screwing means 5 and the second screwing means 6, a total of three or more screwing means may be provided.

[0054] There are no limitations on the shape of the inner circumference of the cover holder 2 and the receiving holder 3 in the area between the first screwing means 5 and the second screwing means 6, i.e., the portion where a long space capable of holding the carbon rod is not formed. It may be semi-cylindrical, similar to the shape of the inner circumference in front of the second screwing means 6. On the other hand, the space formed between the first screwing means 5 and the second screwing means 6 by the cover holder 2 and the receiving holder 3 may be flattened.

[0055] Regarding the screwing mechanism, the following configuration is also preferable. Each of the first screwing means 5 and the second screwing means 6 comprises a fixing screw 5, 6 having a male thread, and a hole provided in the cover holder 2 and a female screw hole provided in the receiving holder 3. The cover holder 2 is provided with terrace sections (hereinafter sometimes referred to as flat sections) 7 and 8. When the holder body holds the carbon rod C, and the fixing screws 5 and 6 are rotated to continuously tighten the carbon rod C, and the heads of the fixing screws 5 and 6 come into contact with the flat portions 7 and 8, when the carbon rod holder 1 is viewed from the longitudinal direction, the fixing screws 5 and 6 will be contained within the contour of the carbon rod holder 1.

[0056] In this embodiment, when the carbon rod holder 1 is viewed from the front with the carbon rod C in place, it is preferable that the respective fixing screws 5 and 6 fit within the contour of the carbon rod holder 1. This configuration makes it possible to insert the carbon rod C, together with the carbon rod holder 1, into a pencil sharpener.

[0057] If the outer diameter of the holder body is smaller than the insertion opening diameter of the handle-type pencil sharpener, the carbon rod C can be inserted into the handle-type pencil sharpener along with the holder body. In that case, the carbon rod C can be processed as long as the clip part of the pencil sharpener can grip at least the rear end of the holder body. On the other hand, if the fixing screws 5 and 6 of the screwing means protrude from the contour of the carbon rod holder 1 when viewed from the front, the fixing screws 5 and 6 may reduce the insertion length into the insertion opening of the handle-type pencil sharpener. To prevent this, the configuration described in the previous paragraph was created.

[0058] To achieve the above configuration, the cover holder 2 is provided with flat portions 7 and 8. Preferably, these flat portions 7 and 8 are provided on each screwing means. That is, preferably, the first flat portion 7 is provided on the first screwing means 5, and the second flat portion 8 is provided on the second screwing means 6. These flat portions 7 and 8 only need to be provided on the cover holder 2, but they may also be provided on the receiving holder 3. For example, instead of a female screw hole, a through hole may be provided on the receiving holder 3, and then the flat portion may be provided on the receiving holder 3 and fixed with a nut.

[0059] In this embodiment, the flat portions 7 and 8 are approximately on the XY plane. Thanks to these flat portions 7 and 8, when the heads of the fixing screws 5 and 6 come into contact with the flat portions 7 and 8 as the carbon rod C is continuously tightened by rotating the respective fixing screws 5 and 6, the heads of the fixing screws 5 and 6 tend to be hidden behind the main body holder when viewed from the front. As a result, the carbon rod C, together with the holder body, can be inserted into the insertion hole of the handle-rotating pencil sharpener to a sufficient length without the heads of the fixing screws 5 and 6 interfering with the insertion hole. To reduce the possibility of interference with the insertion hole, it is preferable to flatten the heads of the fixing screws 5 and 6. In other words, it is preferable that the fixing screws 5 and 6 are flat-head screws.

[0060] Preferably, the cylindrical outer diameter of the carbon rod holder 1 (and by extension, the holder body) when the heads of the fixing screws 5 and 6 are in contact with the flat parts 7 and 8 is 7 mm or more and 8 mm or less. In this paragraph, "outer diameter" refers to the diameter of the circumscribed circle in a front view with the carbon rod C installed. In this paragraph, "outer diameter" may also refer to the diameter of the circumscribed circle when the heads of the fixing screws 5 and 6 are in contact with the flat parts 7 and 8 in the main holder before the carbon rod C is installed.

[0061] By attaching the carbon rod C to the carbon rod holder 1 in this embodiment, for example, if the length of the carbon rod C is 100 mm, the portion that could previously only be used for carbon deposition with a handle-rotating pencil sharpener, which could only be used for 40 mm, can now be used up to 65 mm.

[0062] Based on this example, in this embodiment, a minimum of 3 mm (preferably 5 mm) is required as an insertion depth for fixing the carbon rod C to the carbon rod holder 1. The distance from the insertion opening to the back of the handle-type pencil sharpener (i.e., the depth of the cutting section) is approximately 30 mm. In other words, using the carbon rod holder 1 in this embodiment allows 65 mm of the carbon rod C to be used. Furthermore, if the carbon rod C is inserted together with the holder body, that is, if the holder body is inserted into the cylindrical portion from the insertion opening to the cutting blade, the aforementioned 30 mm can be reduced even further.

[0063] <3. Further specific examples and variations of carbon rod holder 1> The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but also includes various modified and improved forms to the extent that specific effects obtained by the constituent elements of the invention or their combinations can be derived. More specific examples are given below, followed by examples of modifications.

[0064] The carbon rod holder 1 of this embodiment is composed of a semi-cylindrical metal cover holder 2 with an outer radius of 3.5 mm to 4 mm, a semi-cylindrical metal receiving holder 3 with the same outer diameter as the cover holder 2, and a screwing means for fitting the cover holder 2 and the receiving holder 3 together to form a cylindrical shape, in order to hold a carbon rod C with an outer diameter exceeding 1 mm and no more than 6 mm.

[0065] The cover holder 2 has an upper insertion portion 21 (part of the rear opening 4) formed on one end (front side) of the cover holder 2, in which an upper insertion groove for the carbon rod C is drilled in a semi-cylindrical shape, and through holes 22 and 23 formed near the other end (rear side) of the cover holder 2.

[0066] The receiving holder 3 has a lower insertion portion 31 (part of the later opening 4) in which a lower insertion groove is drilled in a semi-cylindrical shape with the same inner radius as the upper insertion groove for the carbon rod C, at a position facing the upper insertion portion 21 of the cover holder 2 in the vertical direction, and holes 32 and 33 formed to extend from the through holes 22 and 23, at a position facing the through holes 22 and 23. Furthermore, the screwing means has the function of fixing the cover holder 2 and the receiving holder 3 through the through holes 22 and 23 and the holes 32 and 33.

[0067] The material of the cover holder 2 and the receiving holder 3 is not particularly limited as long as it is metal. It is essential that the metal has sufficient strength and rigidity to securely grip the carbon rod C, but general carbon steel, stainless steel, etc. can be used. Among these, stainless steel, which also has corrosion resistance, is preferable. The through holes 22 and 23 can be configured in such a way that the screwing means can pass through.

[0068] The outer radii of the cover holder 2 and the receiving holder 3 shall be 4 mm or less. This means that the outer diameter of the cylinder formed when the cover holder 2 and the receiving holder 3 are fitted together will be 8 mm or less. This specification assumes that the carbon rod C is sharpened with a commercially available pencil sharpener. The outer diameter of a pencil specified in JIS S 6006 is 8 mm or less, and the carbon rod holder 1 of this embodiment will have the same outer diameter as a pencil.

[0069] Furthermore, since the outer diameter of carbon rod C is a maximum of 6 mm, the outer radii of the cover holder 2 and the receiving holder 3 should be 3.5 mm or more. This means that the outer diameter of the cylindrical shape formed when the cover holder 2 and the receiving holder 3 are fitted together will be 7 mm or more.

[0070] Since the cover holder 2 and the receiving holder 3 are made of metal with sufficient strength and rigidity, if the thickness of the outer casing that covers the carbon rod C from above and below is 0.5 mm or more, it will be the minimum thickness required for the clip part (chuck part) to stably grip the pencil shaft.

[0071] The fastening mechanism may include bolts and nuts. For the fixing screws 5 and 6, ordinary screws with a flat head are preferable, but grub screws, countersunk screws, etc., will also work. Since grub screws do not have a head, the flat portions 7 and 8 required to prevent the grub screws from protruding outside the contour of the cover holder 2 can be smaller.

[0072] In general carbon deposition, a standard carbon rod C with an outer diameter of 5 mm is used. This embodiment can be applied to any carbon rod C with an outer diameter exceeding 1 mm and not exceeding 6 mm, but it is particularly suitable for use with a carbon rod C with an outer diameter of 5 mm.

[0073] The number of fixing screws 5 and 6, and the number of corresponding through holes 22 and 23, and holes 32 and 33, are not particularly limited as long as there is one or more. However, it is preferable that there are two fixing screws 5 and 6, and two corresponding through holes 22 and 23, and two holes 32 and 33. With two holes, the carbon rod C can be held securely. With only one hole, the cover holder 2 and the receiving holder 3 may shift around the fixing screw as the center of rotation axis. Even with three or more holes, the effect of secure holding is the same, but the structure becomes more complex, resulting in extra manufacturing and installation effort. When there are two fixing screws 5 and 6, and two corresponding through holes 22 and 23, and two holes 32 and 33, their positions are as shown in Figure 2, on the opposite end faces from the upper insertion part 21 and the lower insertion part 31.

[0074] Furthermore, if there are two fixing screws 5 and 6, and two corresponding through holes 22 and 23, and holes 32 and 33, it is preferable that a flat washer is sandwiched between the mating surfaces of the cover holder 2 and the receiving holder 3 on the side of the fixing screw 5 and 6 that is furthest from the upper insertion portion 21 and the lower insertion portion 31. This allows the carbon rod C to be gripped by one end of the upper insertion portion 21 and the lower insertion portion 31, as if being held with chopsticks or tweezers, thus increasing the holding pressure and allowing for a more secure grip of the carbon rod C. The flat washer may be pre-fixed to the cover holder 2 or the receiving holder 3 to avoid the trouble of having to insert it into the fixing screw 5 each time.

[0075] Furthermore, it is perfectly acceptable for a flat washer to be sandwiched between the mating surfaces of the cover holder 2 and the receiving holder 3 on the side of the fixing screws 5 and 6 that is closer to the upper insertion portion 21 and the lower insertion portion 31. On the other hand, if a flat washer is sandwiched on the side that is further away, the carbon rod C can be held stably by tightening the fixing screw 5 on the farther side. In other words, the fixing screw 6 on the closer side mainly plays the role of preventing misalignment between the cover holder 2 and the receiving holder 3. By sandwiching a flat washer on the fixing screw 5 on the farther side, it becomes possible to create a space for play between the cover holder 2 and the receiving holder 3. As a result, even when the fixing screw 5 on the farther side is tightened, the carbon rod C can be easily attached and detached by tightening or loosening the fixing screw 6 on the closer side.

[0076] The carbon rod holder 1 of this embodiment can be widely used with carbon rods C for general carbon deposition, but it is particularly preferable to use it for carbon deposition as a pretreatment for electron microscope samples. Carbon deposition apparatus for pretreatment of electron microscope samples often have small deposition sections, and short carbon rods C of 100 mm or less are used. By applying this embodiment to short carbon rods C, the effect of increasing the utilization rate of carbon rods C can be enjoyed to a greater extent.

[0077] The heights of the cover holder 2 and the receiving holder 3 are made approximately 0.1 mm smaller than the outer radii of the cover holder 2 and the receiving holder 3. This creates a slight gap G when the cover holder 2 and the receiving holder 3 are fitted together, allowing for a secure grip on the carbon rod C.

[0078] The following are some variations.

[0079] A holder body may be used that integrally comprises a long cover holder 2 with a semi-cylindrical inner circumference at one end and a long receiving holder 3 with a semi-cylindrical inner circumference at the other end. For example, one end of both holders may be connected with a hinge, and the two holders may be rotated by the hinge to bring the other ends of both holders closer together, and then the ends may be brought closer together and fixed in place by a screw mechanism.

[0080] The screwing mechanism may be provided at one end of both holders (i.e., at a position off-center from the central axis of space).

[0081] Regarding the flat sections 7 and 8, they do not need to be flat, and a slightly curved shape is acceptable, as long as each fixing screw 5 and 6 fits within the contour of the carbon rod holder 1. However, flat sections 7 and 8 are preferable in order to reliably engage the male threads of the fixing screws 5 and 6 with the female threads of the through holes 22 and 23 and holes 32 and 33.

[0082] Figure 6(a) is a schematic side view of the cover holder according to this embodiment, viewed from the Y1 direction to the Y2 direction. Figure 6(b) is a schematic side view of the receiving holder according to this embodiment, viewed from the Y1 direction to the Y2 direction.

[0083] When the cover holder 2 and the receiving holder 3 are combined, it is preferable to reduce the outer diameter towards the front. It is also preferable that at least one of the cover holder 2 and the receiving holder 3 reduces the outer diameter towards the front. The starting point for reducing the outer diameter is preferably up to about 35 mm from the opening so that the carbon rod holder can be gripped by the clip part of the pencil sharpener, and it is preferable to reduce the outer diameter towards the front. "Reducing the outer diameter" means, for example, narrowing the outer diameter in the vertical direction and making it flat when viewed from the front.

[0084] Figure 7 is a schematic front view of the insertion hole of a rotary-handle pencil sharpener. The reason the above configuration is preferable is that, due to the presence of the chuck portion 92 that holds the pencil in the rotary handle pencil sharpener 9, the insertion hole 91 is not a perfect circle when viewed from the front, but rather is roughly elliptical (for example, the hatched portion in Figure 7) or roughly an inverted triangle.

[0085] Figure 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the inside of a rotary-handle pencil sharpener when the preferred example is not applied. Figure 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the inside of a rotary-handle pencil sharpener when a preferred example is applied. Furthermore, the handle-rotating pencil sharpener employs a method in which the sharpening blade 93, which is operated by planetary gears, is set at a predetermined angle and rotates around the pencil to sharpen it. In this embodiment, considering this method, it is preferable to reduce the outer diameter of the carbon rod holder 1 toward the front so as not to interfere with the sharpening blade 93. In Figures 8 and 9, the interference position is indicated by a dashed line. In Figure 9, the interference position moves further inward than in Figure 8. One specific example of this is setting a taper on the outer circumference of the carbon rod holder 1 at an angle that does not interfere with the sharpening blade 93. Therefore, by reducing the outer diameter of at least one (preferably both) of the cover holder 2 and the receiving holder 3 from near the center toward the front, the interference effect of the carbon rod holder 1 with the sharpening blade 93 and the chuck portion 92 can be reduced, and consequently, the carbon rod C and the carbon rod holder 1 can be inserted deeper into the insertion hole 91 of the handle-rotating pencil sharpener 9.

[0086] Specifically, for example, in the case of the cover holder 2, when viewed from the side as shown in Figure 2(a), a taper with an inclination angle of 1 to 20 degrees (preferably lower limits of 2 degrees and 4 degrees, and preferred upper limits of 15 degrees, 10 degrees, and 8 degrees) may be provided. The same provision can be adopted for the receiving holder 3. The inclination angle of the taper may be the same for the cover holder 2 and the receiving holder 3. With this configuration, the carbon rod C and carbon rod holder 1 can be inserted even deeper into the insertion hole 91 of the handle-rotating pencil sharpener 9. As an example, in the embodiment shown later, if the inclination angle of the taper is 6 degrees for the cover holder 2 and the receiving holder 3, the carbon rod C and carbon rod holder 1 can be inserted an additional 10 mm deeper into the insertion hole 91 of the handle-rotating pencil sharpener 9. In this specification, even when the above-mentioned taper is provided, the shape of the outer circumference of one end of the carbon rod holder 1 formed when the cover holder 2 and the receiving holder 3 are fitted together is referred to as a cylindrical shape. When the above-mentioned taper is provided, when the opening of the space that holds the carbon rod C is viewed in the direction toward the opening (from the forward X1 direction to the rear X2 direction), at least the outer circumference is an ellipse with the longer side in the left-right direction (Y1-Y2 direction) and the shorter side in the up-down direction (Z1-Z2 direction).

[0087] While a design with small steps instead of a taper would also be acceptable, a taper is preferable considering the difficulty of manufacturing the carbon rod holder 1.

[0088] <4. How to use Carbon Rod Holder 1 (Carbon Rod Sharpening Method)> Next, the method of using the carbon rod holder 1 according to this embodiment will be described below.

[0089] A typical carbon rod C used for carbon deposition has an outer diameter of 5 mm and a length of 100 mm. The tip of the carbon rod C is sharpened into a cone shape using a rotary-handle pencil sharpener 9.

[0090] Next, the cone-shaped carbon rod C is placed in the vacuum carbon deposition apparatus. At this time, the cone-shaped portion of carbon rod C is brought into contact with the flat-sectioned carbon rod C whose tip is not machined, and fixed in place. Once fixed, the apparatus is evacuated, and carbon deposition is performed by applying electric heating. Since the cone-shaped tip wears down during carbon deposition, the carbon rod C is removed from the apparatus after each carbon deposition and sharpened back into a cone shape using a handle-type pencil sharpener 9.

[0091] Repeating this process will gradually shorten the carbon rod C. If the carbon rod C is longer than approximately 60 mm, it can be sharpened directly with the rotary-handle pencil sharpener 9, but once it becomes shorter, the carbon rod C is attached to the carbon rod holder 1 of this embodiment.

[0092] To install the carbon rod C, first, overlap the cover holder 2 and the receiving holder 3 so that they do not shift, and temporarily fasten them by inserting fixing screws 5 and 6 and flat washers into the through holes 22 and 23 and holes 32 and 33. Next, insert the carbon rod C into the space formed by the upper insertion part 21 and the lower insertion part 31, and secure the carbon rod C by tightening the fixing screws 5 and 6.

[0093] If the length of the carbon rod C becomes shorter than 60 mm, the carbon rod C is held in place by the carbon rod holder 1, the end of the carbon rod C is inserted into the rotary-handle pencil sharpener 9, the carbon rod holder 1 is secured with the chuck 92 of the rotary-handle pencil sharpener 9, and the carbon rod C is sharpened into a cone shape.

[0094] Next, the carbon rod C is placed in the vacuum carbon deposition apparatus. At this time, the carbon rod C is removed from the carbon rod holder 1, and the conical portion of the carbon rod C is brought into contact with the carbon rod C with a flat cross-section that has not been sharpened at the tip and is fixed in place. The vacuum carbon deposition apparatus has a spring built into the side where the conical carbon rod C is placed, so even if the length of the carbon rod C becomes shorter than 60 mm, the conical portion of the carbon rod C and the carbon rod C with a flat cross-section that has not been sharpened at the tip can be brought into contact and fixed in place. After each carbon deposition, the carbon rod C is removed from the apparatus, held in the carbon rod holder 1, and sharpened into a cone shape using the handle-rotating pencil sharpener 9.

[0095] Repeating this process will gradually shorten the carbon rod C. When the carbon rod C reaches a length that can no longer be reduced, it is discarded. The length at which it can no longer be reduced is, for example, 35 mm.

[0096] The above usage method increases the utilization rate of carbon rod C, making it more economical and improving work efficiency.

[0097] According to this embodiment, one or more of the following effects are achieved.

[0098] The carbon rod holder 1 is used, for example, when observing a non-conductive sample with an electron microscope, to make effective use of the portion of the carbon rod C that could not be used for conductive treatment, thereby increasing the number of deposition cycles or the deposition time.

[0099] When performing carbon deposition using a carbon rod C, uneven deposition will occur during deposition unless the tip of the carbon rod C is made into a sharp cone shape. However, the tip can be easily made into a sharp cone shape by using a rotary handle pencil sharpener 9. However, the rotary handle pencil sharpener 9 requires a length of, for example, 60 mm to fix the carbon rod C, and since the length of the carbon rod C is, for example, 100 mm, only 40 mm can be used.

[0100] By attaching carbon rod C to carbon rod holder 1, for example, if carbon rod C is 100 mm long, the handle-rotating pencil sharpener 9 can use up to 65 mm of the rod for carbon deposition, whereas previously only 40 mm could be used.

[0101] Therefore, for example, if the length of carbon rod C is 100 mm, attaching the carbon rod holder 1 will allow for 1.6 times the amount of carbon deposition. [Examples]

[0102] The present invention will be described below based on more detailed embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. In this embodiment, the carbon rod holder 1 shown in Figures 1 to 3 was used. Figure 4 shows the carbon rod C after installation.

[0103] A non-conductive sample was fixed with carbon tape on the sample stage of a SEM (JEOL Ltd. JSM-7900F), and then placed in a vacuum carbon deposition apparatus (JEOL Ltd. JEE-400) for carbon deposition. A handle-type pencil sharpener 9 (Mitsubishi Pencil Co., Ltd. KH-18 1800) was used to make the tip of the carbon rod C (JEOL Ltd. CARBON RODS: outer diameter 5 mm, length 100 mm) conical. For vacuum carbon deposition, the conical tip of carbon rod C was brought into contact with a carbon rod C with a flat cross-section that had not been sharpened, fixed in place, and then the apparatus was evacuated and heated by applying electricity to perform carbon deposition. Because the tip of carbon rod C needed to be made conical each time it was used, its length gradually shortened.

[0104] A carbon rod C, measuring 60 mm in length, was attached to the carbon rod holder 1. The carbon rod holder 1 used had an outer radius of 4 mm for the cover holder 2 and the receiving holder 3, an inner diameter of 5 mm for the upper insertion part 21 and the lower insertion part 31, a length of 15 mm for the upper insertion part 21 and the lower insertion part 31, a diameter of 3.5 mm for the through holes 22 and 23, and M3 female threads cut into holes 32 and 33. There were two through holes 22 and 23, and two holes 32 and 33. For the screwing method, commercially available M3 flat screws were used, and flat washers with an outer diameter of 8 mm, an inner diameter of 4 mm, and a thickness of 0.5 mm were inserted only between the rear through hole 22 and hole 32. For the flat parts 7 and 8 of the cover holder 2, a flat surface (XY plane) was formed at a position 1.5 mm below the upper end. After temporarily fastening the cover holder 2 and the receiving holder 3 with flat screws, the unmachined end of the 60mm length carbon rod C was inserted 5mm into the space through the opening 4 of the carbon rod holder 1, and the flat screws were tightened to secure the carbon rod C in the carbon rod holder 1.

[0105] The tip of the carbon rod C held in the carbon rod holder 1 was shaped into a cone using a handle-type pencil sharpener 9. The carbon rod C was removed from the carbon rod holder 1, and the cone-shaped portion of the carbon rod C was brought into contact with the carbon rod C with a flat cross-section that had not been sharpened, as described above, and the device was vacuumed before electric heating was applied to perform carbon deposition. By repeating the carbon deposition and processing of the carbon rod C with the handle-type pencil sharpener 9, it was found that with the carbon rod holder 1 of this embodiment, the carbon rod C could be used until its length reached 35 mm. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0106] 1…Carbon rod holder 2... Cover holder 3... Receiving holder 4…Aperture 5…First screwing means (fixing screw) 6…Second screwing mechanism (fixing screw) 7…First flat part 8…Second flat part 21…Upper insertion part 22…Through hole (of the upper insertion part corresponding to the first screwing means) 23…Through hole (of the upper insertion part corresponding to the second screwing means) 31...Lower insertion part 32…Hole (of the lower insertion part corresponding to the first screwing means) 33… (Hole of the lower insertion part corresponding to the second screwing means) 9…Handle-type pencil sharpener 91... Insertion hole 92... Zipper part 93... Sharpening blade C... Carbon rod G... Gap

Claims

1. A holder for holding a long, cylindrical carbon rod with a diameter exceeding 1 mm and a length of 6 mm or less, The carbon rod can be held by sandwiching its cylindrical side surface between two long holder bodies and bringing the holder bodies close together using a screw-fitting mechanism. The holder body is, A long cover holder with a semi-cylindrical inner circumference at one end, A long receiving holder with a semi-cylindrical shape at one end, Each of these is provided as a separate entity. By stacking the cover holder and the receiving holder to form the holder body, a long space capable of holding the carbon rod is formed. The carbon rod holder is a carbon rod used for carbon deposition as a pretreatment for electron microscope samples.

2. The carbon rod holder according to claim 1, wherein, when the carbon rod is held by the screwing means, the outline of the holder body is contained within a circle with a diameter of 8 mm when viewed from the longitudinal direction.

3. The carbon rod holder according to claim 1, wherein when the cover holder and the receiving holder are stacked together in the absence of the screwing means and with the carbon rod present, a gap is formed between the cover holder and the receiving holder.

4. At a predetermined position in the longitudinal direction, the radius of curvature of the inner circumference of the semi-cylindrical shape at one end of the cover holder is equal to the radius of curvature of the inner circumference of the semi-cylindrical shape at one end of the receiving holder, and The carbon rod holder according to claim 1, wherein both inner circumferences at the predetermined position have dimensions smaller than the semicircular arc of the radius of curvature.

5. At least two of the aforementioned screwing means are provided. Each of the first and second screwing means passes through the central axis of the elongated space from a vertical direction, The second screwing means is provided closer to the center in the longitudinal direction than the first screwing means, The carbon rod holder according to claim 1, wherein the carbon rod is held in the elongated space located closer to another end in the longitudinal direction than the second screwing means.

6. Each of the first and second screwing means comprises a fixing screw having a male thread, a hole provided in the cover holder, and a female screw hole provided in the receiving holder. The aforementioned cover holder is provided with a terrace portion. The carbon rod holder according to claim 5, wherein, while the holder body holds the carbon rod, each of the fixing screws is rotated to continuously tighten the carbon rod, and when the heads of each of the fixing screws come into contact with the terrace portion, when the carbon rod holder is viewed from the longitudinal direction, each of the fixing screws is contained within the contour of the carbon rod holder.

7. The carbon rod holder according to claim 6, wherein the carbon rod holder is cylindrical in shape, and the outer diameter of the carbon rod holder is 7 mm or more and 8 mm or less.

8. A holder for holding a long cylindrical carbon rod with a diameter exceeding 1 mm and not exceeding 6 mm, wherein the carbon rod is a carbon rod used for carbon deposition as a pretreatment for electron microscope samples, and the carbon rod holder is inserted into a pencil sharpener with the cylindrical side surface of the carbon rod sandwiched between the long holder bodies and the holder bodies brought close together by a screwing mechanism, thereby sharpening the carbon rod.

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