Vacuum Sample Chamber with Detachable Holder for Electron Microscopy

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing sample chamber devices for electron microscopes fail to maintain a vacuum state when samples are introduced or removed, leading to increased observation time and complexity in integrating light sources or optical systems, especially in photoelectron microscopes.

Innovation Solution

A sample chamber device with a vacuum chamber featuring an aperture at the top and a detachable sample holder with a sealing mechanism at the bottom, allowing horizontal movement of the sample holder while maintaining a vacuum state, and capable of transmitting light without the need for a light source or optical tube insertion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a sample holder is made detachable for easy sample replacement, then ease of operation is improved, but vacuum state maintenance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesample replacement easeVSAvoidvacuum state maintenance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The sample holder is divided into an upper holder body and a lower base portion that can separate and reattach. This segmentation allows easy sample replacement while the sealing structure between the base portion and sample chamber maintains vacuum integrity during and after replacement operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A sealing structure acts as an intermediary element between the sample holder base portion and the sample chamber. This sealing mechanism ensures that when the sample holder is detached or attached, the vacuum state of the sample chamber is preserved, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and vacuum maintenance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If a light source or optical body tube is inserted into the sample chamber for photoelectron microscopy, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvephotoelectron microscopy capabilityVSAvoidvacuum maintenance structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The optical system (light source and optical body tube) is extracted from the interior of the sample chamber and positioned externally. The sample holder base portion includes a light transmission window that allows optical paths to pass through without requiring physical insertion of optical components into the vacuum chamber, thereby maintaining vacuum integrity while enabling photoelectron microscopy functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the sample chamber size is increased to accommodate light sources or optical body tubes, then adaptability is improved, but loss of time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoptical system integrationVSAvoidvacuum establishment time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

By extracting the optical system from the sample chamber interior and positioning it externally with light transmission windows in the sample holder base, the patent avoids increasing the sample chamber volume. This prevents extended vacuum establishment time while still providing adaptability for optical microscopy through the transmitted light paths.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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 design enables efficient sample analysis by maintaining the vacuum state during sample changes and allows for optical image acquisition without additional light sources or detectors, reducing observation time and improving analysis efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

fixes a sealing member between the bottom surface and the sample holder such that a vacuum is maintained when the sample holder is detached or attached

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVacuum sealing:

Implementation Method 2

a scanning electron microscope (SEM) scans a sample located in a vacuum sample chamber with a focused electron beam

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectron beam transmission: Electron Beam

Implementation Method 3

the sample holder capable of transmitting light while maintaining a vacuum state

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight transmission: Light

Data Source

PatentUS10312049B2Sample chamber device for electron microscope, and electron microscope comprising same

Publication Date: 2019.06.04 KOREA RES INST OF STANDARDS & SCI

AI summary

A vacuum sample chamber for a particle and optical device includes on one surface thereof, an aperture through which a particle beam to be focused along an optical axis of particles such as electrons, ions and neutral particles is incident; and on the opposite surface thereof, a detachable sample holder through which light penetrates, thereby enabling a sample to be observed and analyzed by means of the particle beam and light. A sample chamber is capable of reducing observation time by maintaining a vacuum therein even when a sample is put into or taken out from a sample chamber of an electron microscope or focused ion beam observation equipment, and capable of obtaining an optical image on the outside thereof without inserting a light source or an optical barrel into the sample chamber. A light-electron fusion microscope comprising the sample chamber.