Lid Member With Through-Hole for Liquid Specimen Observation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Scanning electron microscopes face challenges in observing and analyzing liquid specimens as water evaporation and dehydration occur during the evacuation process, leading to specimen freezing, and existing methods require time-consuming manipulation of water retaining materials.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a specimen mount and a lid member with a water retaining material and a supporting member, where the lid member has a through-hole for electron beam passage, allowing the liquid specimen to be housed and observed or analyzed without significant evaporation or dehydration, eliminating the need for removing the lid member.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the specimen chamber is evacuated to enable electron beam observation, then the electron beam can pass through the chamber, but water in the liquid specimen evaporates and the specimen dehydrates
Solution Approach 1:
The specimen chamber is divided into two separate chambers: a first chamber that maintains vacuum for electron beam passage, and a second chamber that retains liquid environment for the specimen. The lid member with through-hole acts as a barrier separating these two chambers, allowing the electron beam to pass through while preventing water vapor from escaping the liquid specimen chamber.
Solution Approach 2:
The lid member with a through-hole serves as an intermediary structure between the vacuum chamber and the liquid specimen chamber. It allows the electron beam to pass through while simultaneously preventing water vapor from the liquid specimen from entering the vacuum chamber, thus mediating between the conflicting requirements of vacuum and liquid retention.
2Ease of operation
If the specimen is exposed after evacuation by relatively moving the water retaining material and the specimen, then the liquid specimen can be observed, but the process consumes time and effort
Solution Approach 1:
The lid member is pre-positioned in the open state before specimen introduction. The liquid specimen is placed on the specimen mount while the lid member is already in position, allowing the specimen to be immediately observed without requiring subsequent manipulation or movement operations to expose it.
Solution Approach 2:
The lid member automatically maintains the liquid specimen in a visible state through its fixed open position, eliminating the need for active manipulation to keep the specimen exposed. The structure itself provides the exposure function continuously without requiring operational intervention.
3Loss of substance
If water retaining material is used to cover the specimen during evacuation, then water evaporation is reduced, but the liquid specimen cannot be observed until the lid member is moved
Solution Approach 1:
The lid member is designed with a through-hole that creates a localized opening in the water retaining material. This allows the liquid specimen to be observed through the through-hole while the rest of the water retaining material continues to cover and protect the specimen, providing both retention and observation capabilities simultaneously.
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 method effectively reduces water evaporation and prevents dehydration, enabling prolonged observation and analysis of liquid specimens in a stable liquid state within the electron microscope.
Implementation Method 1
the lid member being provided with a through-hole that enables passage of an electron beam with which the liquid specimen is irradiated
Data Source
AI summary
A method of observing a liquid specimen in an electron microscope includes: housing the liquid specimen in a space formed by a specimen stage and a lid member; and observing the liquid specimen, wherein the lid member includes a water retaining material, and a supporting member for supporting the water retaining material, and the water retaining material is provided with a through-hole that enables passage of an electron beam with which the liquid specimen is irradiated.