Proximity sensor for electron backscatter diffraction systems

Abstract

The present invention refers to a proximity sensor for electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) systems, particularly, a proximity sensor for collision avoidance between an EBSD sensor of an EBSD system and a stage of a scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with the EBSD system, and a corresponding method for proximity monitoring. The proximity sensor comprises emitter(s) to provide a light beam or light curtain which is basically directed parallel to an active area of the EBSD sensor and transmitted across the active area of the EBSD sensor at a distance selected as an alerting distance for the proximity sensor during collision monitoring; and receiver(s) located opposite to the emitter with respect to the active area of the EBSD sensor, configured to detect the light beam or light curtain and to provide a signal corresponding to the intensity of the light beam or light curtain for collision monitoring.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.