# US 7,745,786 B2 · Method and apparatus allowing simultaneous direct observation and electronic capture of scintillation images in an electron microscope > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,745,786 B2 - Document ID: US7745786B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/051,514 - Filed: 2008-03-19 - Published: 2009-09-24 - Granted: 2010-06-29 - Earliest claimed: 2008-03-19 - Inventors: Leo A. Fama; James F. Mancuso - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7745786B2 ## CPC - H01J 37/26: Electron or ion microscopes; Electron or ion diffraction tubes - H01J 37/224: {Luminescent screens or photographic plates for imaging; Apparatus specially adapted therefor, e. g. cameras, TV-cameras, photographic equipment or exposure control; Optical subsystems specially adapted therefor, e. g. microscopes for observing image on luminescent screen} - H01J 37/244: Detectors; Associated components or circuits therefor - H01J 2237/2443: Scintillation detectors - H01J 2237/24455: Transmitted particle detectors - H01J 2237/2802: Transmission microscopes - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) ## Abstract A method and apparatus allowing for simultaneous direct viewing and electronic capture of images in an electron microscope (TEM). For this, the usual opaque direct viewing plate in the TEM is replaced in form and in function by a two-sided direct viewing plate including at least one scintillator. This plate produces light emissions from both its upper and lower surfaces, which allows an electronic camera below the plate to be used simultaneously with direct human viewing from above the plate. The method and apparatus are also compatible with traditional permanent image recording units that are often desired in such microscopes. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for imaging a specimen in an electron microscope comprising the steps of passing a beam of electrons along an axis through said specimen to produce a transmitted beam containing in an electron pattern information about the specimen and projecting said beam onto a scintillator of a two-sided direct viewing plate positioned on said axis thereby creating a corresponding pattern of emitted light that may be observed obliquely from above the plate by a human observer and/or from directly below the same plate by an electronic camera positioned on said axis, said transparent plate being removable so that the transmitted beam may expose a permanent image recording medium positioned on said axis by a support. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method defined in claim 1 wherein said two-sided direct viewing plate is formed with a transparent substrate having a top surface, a transparent electrically conductive coating on said top surface, and said scintillator covers said electrically conductive coating. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method defined in claim 1 wherein said two-sided direct viewing plate is formed as a composite structure comprising a pair of scintillation layers separated by an electrically conductive, light reflecting layer, said beam being projected onto both scintillation layers. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method defined in claim 3 wherein the composite structure is supported by a transparent substrate in face-to-face contact with one of the scintillation layers. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method defined in claim 1 wherein the recording medium comprises a solid state imaging plate supported by the support. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method defined in claim 5 wherein the camera is lens-coupled to the scintillator. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method defined in claim 5 wherein the camera is fiberoptically coupled to the scintillator. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The method defined in claim 5 wherein the solid state imaging plate is replaced by a second electronic camera positioned below the light transparent direct viewing plate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The method defined in claim 5 wherein a second electronic camera is positioned below said support. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method defined in claim 1 wherein the camera is lens-coupled to the scintillator. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method defined in claim 1 wherein the camera is fiberoptically coupled to the scintillator. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method defined in claim 1 wherein the recording medium comprises a photographic film. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method defined in claim 1 wherein the camera is positioned on said axis below the permanent image recording medium. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method defined in claim 1 wherein the two-sided direct viewing plate is viewed from above by a lens coupled electronic imaging device. ### Claim 15 A method of converting a conventional electron microscope of the type including a housing defining a vertical column and an observation chamber at the foot of the column, said housing having a vertical axis, a support in the column for supporting a specimen on said axis, a one-sided opaque direct viewing plate positioned on said axis in said observation chamber, said opaque direct viewing plate extending perpendicular to said axis and having an upper surface, a viewing window in a wall of the observation chamber through which an observer may view the direct viewing plate obliquely from above, an electron beam generator in said column for transmitting an electron beam along said axis through a specimen on said specimen support, and means in said column for projecting the transmitted electron beam along said axis onto the direct viewing plate to form a visible image on the upper surface thereof corresponding to the specimen supported by the specimen support to an electron microscope in which the visible image formed on the opaque direct viewing plate can be viewed from above by an observer looking through said window and simultaneously recorded electronically from below comprising the steps of substituting for said opaque one-sided direct viewing plate a two-sided direct viewing plate including a scintillator; positioning an electronic recording device on said axis below the two-sided direct viewing plate, and optically coupling said device to the scintillator. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method defined in claim 15 wherein the two-sided direct viewing plate is formed with a transparent substrate having a top surface, a transparent electrically conductive coating on said top surface, and said scintillator covers said electrically conductive coating. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method defined in claim 15 wherein said two-sided direct viewing plate is formed as a composite structure comprising a pair of layers separated by an electrically conductive, light reflecting layer, said beam being projected onto both scintillation layers. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method defined in claim 15 and further including forming said electronic recording device as an electronic camera lens-coupled to said scintillator. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method defined in claim 15 including the step of forming said electronic recording device as a CCD sensor mounted to a bottom surface of said two-sided direct viewing plate by way of a fiberoptic faceplate. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method defined in claim 15 and further including providing a permanent image recording device below the two-sided direct viewing plate, said recording device including means for temporarily positioning a recording medium on said axis, and providing means for moving the two-sided direct viewing plate away from said axis so that the projected electron beam impinges directly on the recording medium. ### Claim 21 An electron microscope of the type including a housing defining a vertical column and an observation chamber at the foot of the column, said housing having a vertical axis, a support in the column for supporting a specimen on said axis, a direct viewing plate positioned on said axis in said observation chamber, said direct viewing plate extending perpendicular to said axis and having an upper surface, a viewing window in a wall of the observation chamber through which an observer may view the direct viewing plate obliquely from above, an electronic recording device positioned on said axis below the direct viewing plate, an electron beam generator in said column for transmitting an electron beam along said axis through said specimen, and electromagnets in said column for projecting the transmitted electron beam along said axis onto the direct viewing plate to form a visible image on the upper surface thereof corresponding to the structure of said specimen, the improvement wherein the direct viewing plate is a two-sided direct viewing plate so that the visible image formed thereon by said electron beam can be viewed from above by an observer looking through said window and simultaneously from below by said electronic recording device. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The microscope defined in claim 21 wherein said two-sided direct viewing plate comprises a transparent substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface; a transparent, electrically conductive coating on said top surface, and a scintillator covering the conductive coating and forming said upper surface of the direct viewing plate. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The microscope defined in claim 21 wherein said two-sided direct viewing plate is a composite structure comprising a pair of scintillation layers separated by an electrically conductive, light reflecting layer. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The microscope defined in claim 23 wherein the composite structure is supported by a transparent substrate in face-to-face contact with one of the scintillation layers. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The microscope defined in claim 21 wherein the electronic recording device comprises a CCD sensor, optically coupled to one side of the two-sided direct viewing plate by a fiberoptic faceplate. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) The microscope defined in claim 21 wherein the electronic recording device comprises an electronic camera spaced below the two-sided direct viewing plate and having an input aperture on said axis, and a lens device for optically coupling the visible image formed on the two-sided direct viewing plate to the camera aperture. ### Claim 27 (depends on 21) The microscope defined in claim 21 and further including a permanent image recording unit spaced below the two-sided direct viewing plate, said unit including an imaging medium and a transport mechanism for temporarily positioning the imaging medium on said axis, and a moving device for moving the two-sided direct viewing plate away from said axis so that the transmitted electron beam may be projected directly onto the imaging medium positioned on said axis. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The microscope defined in claim 27 wherein the imaging medium comprises photographic film. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) The microscope defined in claim 27 wherein the imaging medium comprises a solid state imaging plate. ### Claim 30 (depends on 27) The microscope defined in claim 27 wherein the electronic recording device comprises an electronic camera positioned below the permanent image recording unit and having an input aperture on said axis, and a lens device optically coupling the visible image formed on the two-sided direct viewing plate to the camera aperture when the imaging medium is not positioned on said axis. ### Claim 31 (depends on 27) The microscope defined in claim 27 wherein the electronic recording device comprises a CCD sensor mounted to the two-sided direct viewing plate by way of a fiberoptic faceplate.