Sample holder and auxiliary apparatus

A wafer sample holder for use in a scanning electron microscope (SEM) comprising:

• a holder body;
• a wafer sample holding portion located in a forward portion of the holder body;
• a first opening located on a side of the wafer sample holding portion wherein the first opening has a depth and length sized for receiving and holding a wafer sample, further wherein the length of the first opening extend parallel to the length of the holder body;
• a wafer sample holding member;
• and,
• an elastic member for applying an elastic force to the wafer sample holding member to hold the wafer sample in the first opening.

A sample holder comprising:

• a mostly cylindrically shaped holder body with front and rear ends;
• a first opening for holding a sample located at the front end of the holder body, said opening sized in a depth and a length for receiving a sample and said length extending parallel to the holder body;
• a sample holding member located adjacent to the first opening toward the rear end of the holder body;
• an elastic member that exerts an elastic force on the sample holding member to hold a sample in the first opening;
• and
• wherein the first opening is shaped such that a longitudinal portion of predetermined thickness is removed from the front end of the cylindrically shaped holder body and a groove of further thickness is positioned along the longitudinal portion.