Specimen Carrier Alignment Marks for Cross-Mode Microscopy
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current combination microscopes for optical and particle beam microscopy are complex and prone to specimen damage during transfer due to vacuum requirements and incompatible support systems, leading to image quality issues and difficulty in precise position referencing across different microscopy methods.
Innovation Solution
A specimen carrier with pass-through alignment marks that are detectable from both sides, allowing for precise positioning and compatibility with both optical and particle beam microscopes, using an electrically conductive and non-magnetizable material with a marker foil for enhanced visibility and durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If alignment marks are arranged as structures on the non-transparent holder, then the holder surface must be manufactured with low surface roughness, but this makes the surface very scratch-sensitive and the holder quickly unusable
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment marks are applied as high-contrast colored markings (e.g., black or white paint) on the holder surface. This allows the marks to be clearly visible for calibration purposes without requiring the underlying surface to have low roughness, thereby eliminating the scratch sensitivity problem while maintaining manufacturing precision requirements.
2Measurement precision
If alignment marks are applied on the holder, then calibration is possible, but the marks are very low-contrast under a stereo microscope making automatic calibration almost impossible
Solution Approach 1:
High-contrast colored markings are applied to the holder surface, creating strong visual differentiation between the alignment marks and the background. This significantly improves the contrast under stereo microscope illumination, enabling reliable automatic calibration while maintaining precise measurement capabilities.
3Measurement precision
If alignment marks are applied on the holder, then position calibration is enabled, but the risk of soiling is very high and the marks cannot be cleaned in an ultrasonic bath
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment marks are created as high-contrast colored surfaces that are inherently resistant to soiling. The colored coating forms a durable layer that can withstand ultrasonic cleaning and other maintenance procedures, eliminating the risk of degradation from environmental contamination while preserving calibration accuracy.
4Measurement precision
If alignment marks are arranged on the non-transparent holder as structures, then the mark position can be seen from one side, but precise position determination from both top and bottom is impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The colored alignment markings are applied in a manner that ensures visibility from both the top and bottom sides of the holder. This bidirectional visibility enables precise position determination regardless of which side of the holder is being observed, facilitating accurate calibration in both optical and electron microscopes.
Data Source
AI summary
For the microscopy of an object or a specimen with a combination of optical microscopy and particle beam microscopy, an electrically conducting specimen carrier (1) is used which is configured for use in a particle beam microscope as well as in an optical microscope and has at least one alignment mark (2). The alignment mark is configured as a pass-through structure and is detectable from the top and from the bottom of the specimen carrier.