JPH0963529A - Electron microscope observation system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Problem] To construct an environment in which an electron microscope installed in a remote place is as close as possible to the client, and directly instruct the operator, and also to sample the electron microscope body from a remote place. Provided is a device having a mechanism for moving a stage, changing a magnification, and focusing. An electron microscope main body, a conversion device that converts various electron beam scanning speeds of the electron microscope into a constant image scanning speed and synchronizes with a transmission path, and converts an analog image signal into a digital image signal. An electron microscope observation system comprising an analog-digital converter, a transmission line for transmitting a digital image signal, a digital-analog converter for converting a digital image signal into an analog image signal, and an image display device for displaying an electron microscope image signal. is there.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electron microscope observing system, and more particularly to a technique effectively applied to remote operation of an electron microscope used for obtaining a magnified image of an object.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Electron microscopes include types such as transmission electron microscopes and scanning electron microscopes. In all of these devices, when observing a sample, the sample is placed on the sample stage of the electron microscope, a magnified image of the sample is displayed by the display device attached to the electron microscope, and the area to be photographed, magnification selection, etc. And taking a photograph which is a magnified image of the required sample.

These display devices are attached to the electron microscope main body, and even if the extension terminal is used, the display is only displayed near the electron microscope main body.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION As a result of studying the above prior art, the present inventor has found the following problems.

(1) It was impossible to directly observe a magnified image of this sample at a remote place.

(2) As a similar technique, a system for transmitting an image to a remote place has been developed for the realization of telemedicine, but it is impossible to cope with various screen scanning speeds of an electron microscope. It was Also, it was not possible to operate the electron microscope from a remote place.

(3) An electron microscope capable of obtaining high magnification is expensive, and it is impossible to install it in all necessary places. Therefore, when taking an image of a sample with an electron microscope, when requesting the operator to operate a device at a remote place, the client cannot be involved in determining the area to be photographed and the magnification, There was a problem that the required image could not be obtained. For this reason, the photograph taken by the operator is sent to the client by means such as mailing, but if it is different from the one requested by the client, the operator will be instructed again based on the photograph and the required photograph will be displayed. I have to shoot again.

(4) In order to take a satisfactory image for the client, he travels to a remote place with an electron microscope,
It was necessary to give instructions directly to the operator, and in this case there was a big problem that it required expenses and time for a business trip.

To solve this problem, it is required to develop a device capable of displaying a magnified image equivalent to that obtained with the electron microscope main body even at a remote place.

An object of the present invention is to construct an environment in which an electron microscope installed at a remote place is as if it is in the immediate vicinity of the client, and directly instruct the operator, and further, a sample of the electron microscope main body from a remote place. An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus having a mechanism for moving the stage, changing the magnification, and focusing.

The above and other objects and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the description of this specification and the accompanying drawings.

[0012]

The outline of a typical invention among the inventions disclosed in the present application will be briefly described as follows.

(1) An electron microscope main body, a converter for converting various electron beam scanning speeds of the electron microscope into a constant image scanning speed and synchronizing with a transmission path, and an analog image signal into a digital image signal. Analog to convert
An electron microscope observation system comprising a digital converter, a transmission line for transmitting a digital image signal, a digital / analog converter for converting a digital image signal into an analog image signal, and an image display device for displaying an electron microscope image signal. is there.

(2) In the electron microscope observation system of (1) above, an electron microscope operating device for performing a moving operation, a magnification changing operation and a focusing operation of the sample stage of the electron microscope main body, and the operation for the electron microscope operating device. An operation signal input device for inputting a control signal is provided.

The present invention converts an image output from an electron microscope into a form suitable for transmission, transmits an image, receives the transmitted image signal, and displays the received image on a display device, so that a remote location can be displayed. At, the output image from the electron microscope can be observed.

Further, an electron microscope operating device for performing a moving operation, a magnification changing operation and a focusing operation of the sample stage of the electron microscope main body, and an operation signal input device for inputting an operation control signal to the electron microscope operating device are provided. Thus, the operation of moving the sample stage of the electron microscope body, the operation of changing the magnification, and the operation of focusing can be performed from a remote location.

[0017]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings together with embodiments.

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram showing a schematic configuration of an embodiment (Embodiment 1) in which the present invention is applied to an electron microscope observation system, wherein 1 is an electron microscope main body and 2 is a conversion device. 3 is an analog / digital converter,
4 is a transmission line, 5 is a digital-analog converter, and 6 is T
An image display device such as a V receiver, 7 is an operation signal input device for inputting an operation control signal to the electron microscope operation device, and 8 is an electron microscope operation device.

The electron microscope observation system of Embodiment 1 is
A magnified image of the sample is output from the electron microscope main body 1, converted into a signal suitable for transmission by a conversion device 2, converted into a digital signal by an analog / digital converter 3, and transmitted to a transmission line 4. . Digital-to-analog converter 5
Receives a digital signal from the transmission line 4, converts the digital signal into an analog signal for display, and displays it on the image display device 6.

When a scanning electron microscope is used as the electron microscope main body 1, it is an image based on electric signals scanned at various scanning speeds. Moreover, when a transmission electron microscope is used, an image is usually recorded on a photographic film.

In the case of the scanning electron microscope, the converter 2 converts the scanning speed of an image into a standard video signal suitable for transmission. Since this conversion device 2 is compatible with various scanning speeds of a scanning electron microscope, which changes from 1/30 second per screen to 90 seconds per screen, it detects the scanning cycle and stores an image at that cycle. The standard video signal is converted into a standard video signal by reading from the recorded memory at a cycle corresponding to the standard video signal.

In the case of a transmission electron microscope, since an image is usually recorded on a photographic film, a TV camera for converting an image into an electric signal is used as the conversion device 2. For example, a signal converted into a standard video signal by the conversion device 2 is converted into digital data by an analog / digital converter 3 such as a TV telephone terminal, and the digital data is sent to a transmission line 4. The digitized image data is transmitted by the transmission line 4.

The transmission line 4 can be used as long as it is a transmission line capable of transmitting digital data. In the first embodiment, an ISDN line is used and a total of 128 k for both voice and image.
It is a transmission rate of bps. A TV telephone terminal is used as the digital-analog converter 5, receives a digital signal from the transmission line 4, and converts the signal into a standard video signal.
The standard video signal is displayed on the image display device 6 such as a TV receiver. The image directly output from the electron microscope 1 is displayed on the image display device 6 as it is.

When the operator of the electron microscope main body 1 observes the sample and changes the observation position, magnification, etc., the image is displayed on the image display device 6 installed at a remote place, and the analysis requester makes an image of the situation. It can be observed on the display device 6. The analysis client can instruct the operator to capture a required image such as the position to be analyzed and the magnification, and obtain the desired image. Further, the operation signal input device 7 enables the analysis requester to directly give an operation instruction. This instruction information is converted into a digital signal and transmitted, and the electron microscope operating device 8 enables a moving operation, a magnification changing operation, and a focusing operation of the sample stage of the electron microscope main body 1 from a remote location. The analysis requester himself / herself observes the required image such as the position to be analyzed and the magnification, and obtains the desired image.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 2 is a block configuration diagram showing a schematic configuration of another embodiment (Embodiment 2) in which the present invention is applied to an electron microscope observation system, and a block of an electron microscope of the embodiment. It is a figure, 1 is an electron microscope main body, 2
Is a conversion device, and 30 is a computer having an image input function and a digital data transmission function. 4 is a transmission line,
Reference numeral 50 is a computer having a digital data receiving function and an image output function. Reference numeral 60 is a printing device, 7 is an operation signal input device, and 8 is an electron microscope operation device.

In the electron microscope observation system according to the second embodiment, the image output from the electron microscope main body 1 is converted into a standard video signal by the conversion device 2 as in the case of the first embodiment. Since the conversion device 2 is compatible with various scanning speeds of the scanning electron microscope, which changes from 1 / 30th of one screen to 90 seconds of one screen, it detects the scanning cycle and stores the image at that cycle. The standard video signal is converted into a standard video signal by reading from the recorded memory at a cycle corresponding to the standard video signal.

The computer 30 takes in the signal converted into the standard video signal by the conversion device 2, converts it into digital data, and sends it to the transmission line 4. The digitized image data is transmitted by the transmission line 4.

The transmission line 4 is a computer network in this case, and is a local area network such as Ethernet, or a wide area network connecting the local area networks.

For this wide area network, an ISDN line or a telephone line can be used in addition to a dedicated line. The transmitted data is displayed on the display of the computer 50. That is, the output image from the electron microscope body 1 is directly displayed on the computer 50.

Further, by adding a function of inputting a still image to the converting device 2 and adding software for transferring and printing, a required final result is printed on the printing device 6.

Also in the electron microscope observing system of the second embodiment, as in the case of the first embodiment, the analysis requester himself / herself observes the required image such as the position to be analyzed, the magnification, and the like. To get the image of.

Further, the operation signal input device 7 allows the analysis requester to directly give an operation instruction. In this case, the operation signal input device 7 is composed of an instruction device such as a mouse connected to the computer 50 and buttons created on the display screen of the computer. This instruction information is converted into a digital signal and transmitted, and the electron microscope operating device 8 operates the electron microscope main body 1. The analysis client can observe the required image, such as the position to be analyzed and the magnification, by himself / herself to obtain the desired image.

Although the present invention has been specifically described with reference to the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. .

For example, although an example of an electron microscope has been shown in the above embodiment, the same effect can be obtained in an analyzer such as an Auger electron spectroscope or an electron beam microanalysis device having the function of an electron microscope. You can

[0035]

The effects obtained by the representative one of the inventions disclosed in the present application will be briefly described as follows.

It is possible to observe the output image of the electron microscope at a remote place, and the analysis requester can instruct the operator about the analysis position, the magnification, etc. without moving to the place where the apparatus is installed. The analysis result can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram showing a schematic configuration of an example (Embodiment 1) in which the present invention is applied to an electron microscope observation system.

FIG. 2 is a block configuration diagram showing a schematic configuration of another example (Embodiment 2) in which the present invention is applied to an electron microscope observation system.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Electron microscope main body, 2 ... Conversion device, 3 ... Analog / digital converter, 4 ... Transmission path, 5 ... Digital / analog converter, 6 ... Image display device, 7 ... Operation signal input device, 8 ... Electron microscope Operating device, 30 ... Computer having image input function and digital data transmission function, 5
0 ... Computer having digital data receiving function and image output function, 60 ... Printing device.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An electron microscope main body, a converter for converting various electron beam scanning speeds of the electron microscope into a constant image scanning speed and synchronizing with a transmission line, and an analog image signal into a digital image signal. And an analog-digital converter for transmitting a digital image signal, a digital-analog converter for converting the digital image signal into an analog image signal, and an image display device for displaying an electron microscope image signal. Characteristic electron microscope observation system. 2. The electron microscope observing system according to claim 1, wherein the electron microscope operating device performs a moving operation, a magnification changing operation, and a focusing operation of the sample stage of the electron microscope main body, and the electron microscope operating device includes: An electron microscope observation system comprising an operation signal input device for inputting an operation control signal.