Scanning electron microscope

Scanning electron microscope including:

• a vacuum chamber including internal structures, such as an electron optical imaging system,
• a sample carrier for carrying a sample, movable within the vacuum chamber,
• a motion control unit including an input unit arranged for receiving user commands relating to movement of the sample carrier,
• the motion control unit including a memory storing a three-dimensional model of the internal structures of the vacuum chamber and a three-dimensional model of the sample carrier, wherein the motion control unit is arranged for moving the sample carrier on the basis of the received user commands and the three-dimensional models of the internal structures and the sample carrier while avoiding collision of the sample carrier and the internal structures.

Method for loading a sample into a vacuum chamber of a scanning electron microscope including:

• providing a sample carrier that is movable between a loading position for loading the sample and an imaging position for imaging the sample,
• wherein the scanning electron microscope includes a sliding vacuum seal between the electron optical imaging system and the sample carrier, wherein the sliding vacuum seal includes a first plate having a first aperture associated with the electron optical imaging system and resting against a second plate having a second aperture associated with the sample carrier, the first and second plates being slideably movable with respect to each other, the first and second apertures overlapping in the imaging position, and the first and second apertures not overlapping in the loading position,
• wherein the first plate and/or the second plate includes a groove circumscribing the first and/or second aperture, wherein the groove is arranged for being in communication with a vacuum system,
• the method including placing the sample in the sample carrier when the sample carrier is in the loading position.