Specimen holder, specimen inspection apparatus, specimen inspection method, and method of fabricating specimen holder

A specimen holder comprising:

• a body portion configured to close off an opening through which a primary beam passes via a vacuum ambient;
• and
• a specimen-holding surface, at least a part of the specimen-holding surface being made of a film,
• wherein the film has a first surface and a second surface, the first surface forming the specimen-holding surface, and
• wherein a specimen cultured on the first surface of the film can be irradiated via the film with a primary beam from a side of the second surface which is in contact with said vacuum ambient for observation or inspection of the specimen, while the specimen on the specimen-holding surface of the film is exposed to an atmospheric ambient.

A method of fabricating a specimen holder, comprising the steps of:

• creating a frame-like member provided with an opening covered with a film;
• creating a body portion configured to close off an opening through which a primary beam passes via a vacuum ambient and having a specimen-holding surface;
• forming a hole in the body portion, the hole being in communication with the specimen-holding surface of the body portion;
• forming step portions in the hole;
• and
• securing the frame-like member on the step portions, so that an exposed surface of the film covering the opening of the frame-like member forms the specimen-holding surface.