JPH0456053A - Sample stage for scanning electron microscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prepare a specimen easily and certainly by providing a specimen setting surface as a flat vertical plane, and securing a specimen in the form of a flat plate to this vertical plane with the aid of an electroconductive paste. CONSTITUTION:A specimen setting surface 4 consists in a flat vertical plane and thereto a specimen of flat plate form shall be secured with the aid of an electroconductive paste. This paste 2 is prepared by dispersing carbon powder in an organic solvent, has functions of adhering and prevention of electrostatic charge, and suits setting of a thin plate-shaped specimen. Object held fast in this fashion is frozen by a coolant such as liquid nitrogen and set quickly on the specimen device in a low-temp. scan type electron microscope. The specimen 3 protruding from the oversurface of a specimen table 1 is cut by a specimen cutting knife, and the cut surfaces are defrosted by a heater and subjected, if necessary, to Au evaporation process etc. Then the shape of the cross-section is observed or photographed.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] This invention is a scanning electronic! The present invention relates to a sample stand for a GI mirror, and particularly to a structure of a sample stand that facilitates and ensures sample preparation.

[Conventional technology]

When observing the cross-sectional shape of a water-containing sample or a polymer membrane sample using a low-temperature scanning electronic a-viewing mirror, the sample is held and fixed on a sample stage, frozen with a coolant, cut with a knife, and then the cut surface is After the frost is removed, metal vapor deposition is performed on the fractured surface to impart conductivity, if necessary. The sample freezing process and subsequent steps are performed within the apparatus, and a cooling stage, cutting knife, n-type heater, vapor deposition unit, etc. are integrated into the scanning electron microscope.

Figure 4 shows a conventional sample prepared for electron microscopy.
11) is a perspective view, and FIG. 4 (bl is a central sectional view).

A sample stand 1 with a hole is filled with a sample fixing agent 2, and the embedded sample 3 is held and fixed vertically with a portion of the embedded sample 3 protruding from the top surface of the sample stand 1.

[K problem that the invention attempts to solve]

However, with such conventional sample stands, the conductive paste used as a sample fixative swells due to radiant heat during the defrosting process of the cut surface of the sample and covers the cut surface of the sample, resulting in a situation where the sample must be remade. There are cases. In addition, with the perforated structure of conventional sample stands, it is not only difficult to vertically fix a thin polymer film sample, but also difficult to hold when multiple similar samples must be observed in a short period of time. However, a large amount of time is spent on sample preparation and sample exchange, resulting in a problem of poor work efficiency.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and its object is to provide a sample stage for a scanning electron microscope that allows sample preparation to be carried out easily and reliably by improving the structure of the sample stage.

[Means for solving #X problem]

According to the present invention, the above-mentioned object has a sample mounting surface, and the sample mounting surfaces 4, 4^ are flat vertical surfaces, and a flat sample is fixed to this vertical surface via a conductive paste. This is achieved by assuming that

[Effect]

1 because the sample is fixed via adhesive on a flat surface! Less paste is used. Matatare! Since the surface is used, it is easy to attach the sample.

〔Example〕

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a sample stage l according to an embodiment of the present invention together with a sample 3, FIG. 1 (5) is a perspective view, and FIG.
-A arrow view. 4 is a flat vertical surface, 1 is a sample stage, 3
2 is a sample and 2 is a conductive paste. The conductive paste 2 is made by dispersing carbon powder in an organic solvent and has adhesive and antistatic functions. Suitable for mounting thin plate-shaped samples. The sample held and fixed in this way is frozen with a coolant such as liquid nitrogen, and then quickly attached to the sample device in the cryo-scanning electron microscope. 43, the cut surface is defrosted using a heater, and if necessary, gold or the like is deposited on the cut surface of the sample, and the cross-sectional shape is observed or photographed.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a sample stage together with a sample according to a different embodiment of the present invention, and is suitable for mounting a thick plate-shaped sample. Third
The figure is a perspective view showing a sample stage and a sample according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to this invention, there is a sample mounting surface, and the sample mounting surface is a flat vertical surface, and a flat sample is fixed to this vertical surface via a conductive paste, so that the sample is mounted on the surface. The amount of conductive paste used is smaller than in conventional mounting, the conductive paste does not swell and cover the sample, and the reliability of sample preparation is increased. Since mounting is easy, it is also possible to simultaneously mount a plurality of samples on one LK preparation stage, and overall sample preparation becomes more efficient and reliable than in the past.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 shows a sample stage according to an embodiment of the present invention together with a sample.
2 is a perspective view showing a sample stage according to a different embodiment of the present invention together with a sample; FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a sample stage according to a further different embodiment of the present invention together with a sample. FIG. 4 shows a conventional sample stage together with a sample. , A, J rb) Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1) It has a sample mounting port, the sample mounting surface is a flat vertical surface, and a flat sample is fixed to this vertical surface via a conductive paste. Sample stage for scanning electron microscope.