# US 2014/0151555 A1 · Electron microscope > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0151555 A1 - Document ID: US20140151555A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/130,919 - Filed: 2012-05-16 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2011-07-19 - Assignees: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation - Inventors: Takeshi Ogashiwa; Masahiro Akatsu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140151555A1 ## CPC - H01J 37/28: with scanning beams {(H01J37/268, H01J37/292, H01J37/2955 take precedence)} - H01J 37/20: Means for supporting or positioning the object or the material; Means for adjusting diaphragms or lenses associated with the support - H01J 2237/0203: Protection arrangements - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) ## Abstract Provided is an electron microscope on which a specimen holder with high voltage applied is mountable. The specimen holder has safety (electric shock prevention means), and attention is paid to the specimen holder in terms of operability. The present invention includes a specimen holder having a function of applying a voltage to a specimen mount, disposed to load a specimen, a voltage source that supplies the voltage to be applied to the specimen mount, a voltage cable connected at one end thereof to the specimen holder, and a relay unit to which the other end of the voltage cable is connected, the relay unit being placed on a supporting base that supports a lens barrel of the electron microscope. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electron microscope comprising: an electron optical lens barrel that irradiates a specimen with a primary electron beam, detects secondary charged particles obtained by the irradiation of the primary electron beam, and outputs an image signal based on detection results of the secondary charged particles; a supporting base that supports the electron optical lens barrel; a specimen holder that includes a specimen mount to mount the specimen on the mount and has a function of applying a voltage to the specimen mount; a voltage source that supplies the voltage applied to the specimen mount; a voltage cable that is connected at one end thereof to the specimen holder; and a relay unit to which the other end of the voltage cable is connected, the relay unit being placed on the supporting base. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electron microscope according to claim 1, wherein length of the voltage cable is smaller than that of the specimen holder. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electron microscope according to claim 1, wherein a terminal for connecting the voltage cable to the relay unit is disposed at the other end of the cable, ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The electron microscope according to claim 1, wherein the relay unit includes means that detects the connection of the cable. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The electron microscope according to claim 1, wherein the relay unit includes a first switch for establishing and interrupting electrical continuity between the specimen mount and the voltage source. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The electron microscope according to claim 5, wherein the relay unit includes a second switch that activates and deactivates the voltage source. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The electron microscope according to claim 5, wherein the relay unit includes a first BNC terminal; and the voltage cable includes a second BNC terminal at an end portion of the cable, the end portion facing the relay unit when the cable is connected to the relay unit. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The electron microscope according to claim 7, wherein the second switch is disposed at rear of the BNC connector of the relay unit; the first switch is disposed near the BNC connector of the relay unit; and ring-shaped caps for fastening the BNC terminals of the relay unit and the voltage cable are disposed to enable the first switch and the second switch to be activated. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The electron microscope according to claim 1, further comprising: a polyhedral cover that covers the electron optical lens barrel and the supporting base; and a door disposed on a side face of the cover. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The electron microscope according to claim 9, further comprising: a first door and a second door each disposed on a different face of the cover. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The electron microscope according to claim 9, wherein a connection surface provided on the relay unit so as to accept the voltage cable is a surface other than a rear face of the relay unit, ### Claim 12 A scanning electron microscope comprising: an electron optical lens barrel that scans a primary electron beam across a specimen surface, detects secondary charged particles obtained by the scan of the primary electron beam, and outputs an image signal based on detection results of the secondary charged particles; a supporting base that supports the electron optical lens barrel; a specimen holder that includes a specimen mount to mount the specimen on the mount, and has a function of applying a voltage to the specimen mount; a voltage source that supplies the voltage applied, to the specimen mount; a voltage cable that is connected, at one end thereof to the specimen holder; and a relay unit to which the other end of the voltage cable is connected, the relay unit being placed on the supporting base. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The scanning electron microscope according to claim 12, wherein the specimen holder is a side-entry stage that is inserted from a side face of the electron optical lens barrel via a vacuum feedthrough into a lens barrel. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The scanning electron microscope according to claim 12, wherein the electron optical lens barrel includes objective lenses of an in-lens type.