Integrated Optical Microscope in TEM Vacuum Chamber
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing particle-optical apparatus requires sample transfer through an airlock between optical microscope and TEM, leading to positional inaccuracies, long delays, and sample deformation due to repeated vacuum and air exposure, which hampers accurate image mapping and comparison.
Innovation Solution
A light-optical microscope is integrated on the particle-optical axis, allowing high-precision sample positioning and maintaining the sample in a vacuum environment, eliminating the need for repeated airlock transfers and using a scanning point of light for high-resolution imaging without lens aberration limitations, enabling efficient and accurate coincidence between optical and particle-optical images.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the sample is transferred through an airlock between optical microscope and TEM, then the sample can be observed in both environments, but positional inaccuracies occur and time is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the optical microscope and TEM into a single integrated apparatus where the sample remains in the vacuum environment throughout. The optical microscope is positioned within the TEM vacuum chamber, allowing simultaneous or sequential observation without sample transfer. This merging eliminates the airlock transfer process and maintains consistent sample positioning coordinates between both observation modes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a positioning reference system (such as fiducial markers or alignment features) that serves as an intermediary between the optical microscope and TEM coordinate systems. This reference system allows for precise coordinate transformation and alignment, enabling accurate positioning in TEM after optical observation without requiring physical sample transfer through an airlock.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the sample is transferred through an airlock between optical microscope and TEM, then dual observation is enabled, but delay time increases due to pumping and venting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the optical microscope and TEM into a single vacuum-based integrated system. The optical microscope is installed within the TEM vacuum chamber, allowing the sample to remain in vacuum for both observation modes. This eliminates the need for repeated airlock transfers, pumping, and venting operations, thereby removing the time delays associated with these processes while maintaining dual observation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables continuous observation without interruption by maintaining the sample in a continuous vacuum environment. The sample can be observed with the optical microscope and then immediately with the TEM without breaking vacuum, allowing continuous useful action (observation) without the intermittent stops required for airlock transfers, pumping, and venting.
3Productivity
If the sample is repeatedly evacuated and exposed to air, then repeated observation is possible, but sample deformation occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines both observation systems into a single vacuum environment, allowing repeated observations with both the optical microscope and TEM without removing the sample from vacuum. This eliminates the repeated evacuation and air exposure cycles that cause sample deformation, while maintaining the ability to perform multiple observations for productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent maintains the sample in a vacuum (inert) environment throughout all observation processes. By keeping the sample in vacuum rather than exposing it to air repeatedly, the sample's structural stability is preserved. The inert vacuum environment prevents deformation, contamination, and other air-related damage while allowing repeated observations to be performed.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution reduces positional inaccuracies, eliminates delays from repeated pumping and venting, prevents sample deformation, and enhances image mapping efficiency by maintaining the sample in a consistent environment, while allowing for high-resolution optical microscopy compatible with TEM imaging.
Implementation Method 1
a particle source for producing a beam of particles along a particle-optical axis
Implementation Method 2
particle-optical lenses arranged round the particle-optical axis for manipulating said beam of particles
Implementation Method 3
a detector for detecting particles transmitted through the sample
Implementation Method 4
a light-optical microscope equipped to image the sample when it is on the particle-optical axis
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to an apparatus for observing a sample (1) with a TEM column and an optical high resolution scanning microscope (10). The sample position when observing the sample with the TEM column differs from the sample position when observing the sample with the optical microscope in that in the latter case the sample is tilted towards the light-optical microscope. By using an optical microscope of the scanning type, and preferably using monochromatic light, the lens elements (11) of the optical microscope facing the sample position can be sufficiently small to be positioned between the pole faces (8A, 8B) of the (magnetic) particle-optical objective lens (7). This is in contrast with the objective lens systems conventionally used in optical microscopes, which show a large diameter. Furthermore the optical microscope, or at least the parts (11) close to the sample, may be retractable so as to free space when imaging in TEM mode.