Abstract: A sample observation method includes irradiating a sample with a primary charged particle beam, detecting a secondary charged particle signal obtained by the irradiating, and observing the sample. The method is characterized by causing the primary charged particle beam generated in a charged particle optical lens barrel, which is maintained in a vacuum state, to be transmitted or passed through a separating film disposed to isolate a space in which the sample is placed from the charged particle optical lens barrel; and detecting a transmitted charged particle beam obtained by irradiating the sample, placed in an atmospheric pressure or a predetermined gas atmosphere of a slightly negative pressure state compared with the atmospheric pressure, with the primary charged particle beam.

Abstract: Ordinary charged particle beam apparatuses have each been an apparatus manufactured for dedicated use in making observations in a gas atmosphere at atmospheric pressure or at a pressure substantially equal thereto. There have existed no devices capable of simply making observations using an ordinary high-vacuum charged particle microscope in a gas atmosphere at atmospheric pressure or at a pressure approximately equal thereto. Furthermore, ordinary techniques have been incapable of observing the same spot of the sample in such an atmosphere using a charged particle beam and light simultaneously.

Abstract: Provided is a charged particle beam apparatus or charged particle microscope capable of observing an observation target sample in an air atmosphere or a gas environment without making significant changes to the configuration of a conventional high vacuum charged particle microscope. In a charged particle beam apparatus configured such that a thin film (10) is used to separate a vacuum environment and an air atmosphere (or a gas environment), an attachment (121) capable of holding the thin film (10) and whose interior can be maintained at an air atmosphere or a gas environment is inserted into a vacuum chamber (7) of a high vacuum charged particle microscope. The attachment (121) is vacuum-sealed and fixed to a vacuum partition of the vacuum sample chamber. Image quality is further improved by replacing the atmosphere in the attachment with helium or a light-elemental gas that has a lower mass than atmospheric gases such as nitrogen or water vapor.

Abstract: The ordinary charged particle beam apparatus works on the assumption that signals are detected while its diaphragm and the sample are being positioned close to each other. This structure is not suitable for observing a sample with a prominently uneven surface in a gas atmosphere at atmospheric pressure or at a pressure substantially equal thereto. The present invention provides a charged particle beam apparatus that separates its charged particle optical tube from the space in which the sample is placed. The apparatus includes a detachable diaphragm that lets a primary charged particle beam permeate or pass therethrough. Installed in the space where the sample is placed is a detector that detects secondary particles discharged from the sample irradiated with the primary charged particle beam.

Abstract: In order to provide a charged-particle radiation apparatus capable of evaluating and distinguishing the analysis position in a sample subjected to X-ray analysis in the stage before performing X-ray elemental analysis, and also making it possible for an analyst to perform, in a short period of time and without reworking, analysis for which high reliability is ensured, the present invention provides a charged-particle radiation apparatus provided with an X-ray detector, wherein a first back scattered electron detector (15) on the same axis as the X-ray detection surface of the X-ray detector (12 (25-30)) is disposed integrally with or independently from the X-ray detector (12), an X-ray signal being detected by the X-ray detector (12) simultaneously with or separately from detection of a back scattered electron signal by the first back scattered electron detector (15).

Abstract: A charged particle beam device (1) includes a charged particle optical lens barrel (10), a support housing (20) equipped with the charged particle optical lens barrel (10) thereon, and an insertion housing (30) inserted in the support housing (20). A first aperture member (15) is disposed in the vicinity of the center of the magnetic field of an objective lens, and a second aperture member (15) is disposed so as to externally close an opening part provided at the upper side of the insertion housing (30). Further, when a primary charged particle beam (12) is irradiated to a sample (60) arranged under the lower side of the second aperture member (31), secondary charged particles thus emitted are detected by a detector (16).

Abstract: To provide a low acceleration scanning electron microscope that can discriminate and detect reflected electrons and secondary electrons even with a low probe current, this scanning electron microscope is provided with an electron gun (29), an aperture (26), a sample table (3), an electron optical system (4-1) for making an electron beam (31) converge on a sample (2), a deflection means (10), a secondary electron detector (8), a reflected electron detector (9), and a cylindrical electron transport means (5) in a position between the electron gun (29) and sample (2). The reflected electron detector (9) is provided within the electron transport means (5) and on a side further away from the electron gun (29) than the secondary electron detector (8) and the deflection means (10). The reception surface (9-1) of the reflected electron detector (9) is electrically wired so as to have the same potential as the electron transport means (5).

Abstract: A printing apparatus which prints onto a recording medium by causing a print head to move in a main scanning direction includes a flexible cable through which, together with an arc-shaped loop, a signal is transmitted from a control substrate to the print head, a supporting member which is provided at a position which supports a portion of the flexible cable from the print head to the loop, and an insulating film which is provided between the supporting member and the flexible cable.

Abstract: A control device (50) for a charged particle beam device (100) tilts the irradiation axis of a primary electron beam (4) to the left, straight, or to the right via tilting coils (11, 12) each time the primary electron beam (4) scans the surface of a sample (15) over a single scanning line. When the irradiation axis is changed, the focal point of the primary electron beam (4) is adjusted by a focal point-adjusting coil (14) based on the tilt of the irradiation axis in order to take a left-tilted observation image, a non-tilted observation image or a right-tilted observation image of the surface of a sample (15) for each scanning line. The left-tilted observation images, non-tilted observation images and right-tilted observation images for the scanning lines obtained up to this point are simultaneously displayed on the same display device (31). In this way, focused non-tilted observation images and focused tilted observation images can be taken and displayed nearly simultaneously.

Abstract: A printing device or discharge test device comprising a head that includes a nozzle discharging liquid to a medium, a temperature obtaining section that obtains a temperature related to the head, a missing-dot detecting section that detects whether or not the liquid is discharged from the nozzle, and a control section that controls the head and the missing-dot detecting section. When the temperature obtained is within a first temperature range, the head is configured to discharge the liquid to the medium and whether or not the liquid is discharged from the nozzle is detected. No such detection is made at other temperatures. When the temperature obtained is outside the first temperature range and within a second temperature range, the head is configured to discharge the liquid to the medium, and when the temperature obtained is outside the second temperature range, the liquid is not discharged to the medium.

Abstract: A sample observation method uses a charged particle beam apparatus comprising a charged particle optical column irradiating a charged particle beam, a vacuum chamber, and a sample chamber being capable of storing a sample. The method includes maintaining a pressure of the sample chamber higher than that of the vacuum chamber by a thin film which permits the charged particle beam to be transmitted, determining a relation between a height of a lower surface of the thin film and a height of a lower end of a lens barrel of an optical microscope, measuring a distance between the sample and the lens barrel, and setting a distance between the sample and thin film based on the relation and the distance.

Abstract: Provided is a charged particle beam apparatus or charged particle microscope capable of observing an observation target sample in an air atmosphere or a gas environment without making significant changes to the configuration of a conventional high vacuum charged particle microscope. In a charged particle beam apparatus configured such that a thin film (10) is used to separate a vacuum environment and an air atmosphere (or a gas environment), an attachment (121) capable of holding the thin film (10) and whose interior can be maintained at an air atmosphere or a gas environment is inserted into a vacuum chamber (7) of a high vacuum charged particle microscope. The attachment (121) is vacuum-sealed and fixed to a vacuum partition of the vacuum sample chamber. Image quality is further improved by replacing the atmosphere in the attachment with helium or a light-elemental gas that has a lower mass than atmospheric gases such as nitrogen or water vapor.

Abstract: Provided is a charged particle beam apparatus (111) to and from which a diaphragm (101) can be easily attached and detached, and in which a sample (6) can be arranged under vacuum and under high pressure. The charged particle beam apparatus includes: a lens barrel (3) holding a charged particle source (110) and an electron optical system (1,2,7); a first housing (4) connected to the lens barrel (3); a second housing (100) recessed to inside the first housing (4); a first diaphragm (10) separating the space inside the lens barrel (3) and the space inside the first housing (4), and through which the charged particle beam passes; a second diaphragm (101) separating the spaces inside and outside the recessed section (100a) in the second housing (100), and through which the charged particle beam passes; and a pipe (23) connected to a third housing (22) accommodating the charged particle source (110).

Abstract: Provided is an inspection apparatus or observation apparatus enabling appropriate inspection or observation of a sample in an easy-to-use manner, using a charged-particle technique and an optical technique.

Abstract: A control device (50) for a charged particle beam device (100) tilts the irradiation axis of a primary electron beam (4) to the left, straight, or to the right via tilting coils (11, 12) each time the primary electron beam (4) scans the surface of a sample (15) over a single scanning line. When the irradiation axis is changed, the focal point of the primary electron beam (4) is adjusted by a focal point-adjusting coil (14) based on the tilt of the irradiation axis in order to take a left-tilted observation image, a non-tilted observation image or a right-tilted observation image of the surface of a sample (15) for each scanning line. The left-tilted observation images, non-tilted observation images and right-tilted observation images for the scanning lines obtained up to this point are simultaneously displayed on the same display device (31). In this way, focused non-tilted observation images and focused tilted observation images can be taken and displayed nearly simultaneously.

Abstract: Provided is a charged particle beam apparatus or charged particle microscope capable of observing an observation target sample in an air atmosphere or a gas environment without making significant changes to the configuration of a conventional high vacuum charged particle microscope. In a charged particle beam apparatus configured such that a thin film (10) is used to separate a vacuum environment and an air atmosphere (or a gas environment), an attachment (121) capable of holding the thin film (10) and whose interior can be maintained at an air atmosphere or a gas environment is inserted into a vacuum chamber (7) of a high vacuum charged particle microscope. The attachment (121) is vacuum-sealed and fixed to a vacuum partition of the vacuum sample chamber. Image quality is further improved by replacing the atmosphere in the attachment with helium or a light-elemental gas that has a lower mass than atmospheric gases such as nitrogen or water vapor.

Abstract: To provide a low acceleration scanning electron microscope that can discriminate and detect reflected electrons and secondary electrons even with a low probe current, this scanning electron microscope is provided with an electron gun (29), an aperture (26), a sample table (3), an electron optical system (4-1) for making an electron beam (31) converge on a sample (2), a deflection means (10), a secondary electron detector (8), a reflected electron detector (9), and a cylindrical electron transport means (5) in a position between the electron gun (29) and sample (2). The reflected electron detector (9) is provided within the electron transport means (5) and on a side further away from the electron gun (29) than the secondary electron detector (8) and the deflection means (10). The reception surface (9-1) of the reflected electron detector (9) is electrically wired so as to have the same potential as the electron transport means (5).

Abstract: Increasing the volume or weight of zirconia which is a diffusion and supply source, to extend the life of a field-emission type electron source causes a problem that the diffusion and supply source itself or a tungsten needle is easily subjected to damage. As another problem, although it is considered to form the diffusion and supply source using a thin film to avoid the above-described problem, it is difficult to stably obtain practical life exceeding 8,000 hours. It has been found that practical life exceeding 8,000 hours is stably obtained by providing a field-emission type electron source that has no chips or cracks in a diffusion and supply source and that can extend life with a little bit of an increase in the amount of the diffusion and supply source.

Abstract: In order to provide a charged-particle radiation apparatus capable of evaluating and distinguishing the analysis position in a sample subjected to X-ray analysis in the stage before performing X-ray elemental analysis, and also making it possible for an analyst to perform, in a short period of time and without reworking, analysis for which high reliability is ensured, the present invention provides a charged-particle radiation apparatus provided with an X-ray detector, wherein a first back scattered electron detector (15) on the same axis as the X-ray detection surface of the X-ray detector (12 (25-30)) is disposed integrally with or independently from the X-ray detector (12), an X-ray signal being detected by the X-ray detector (12) simultaneously with or separately from detection of a back scattered electron signal by the first back scattered electron detector (15)

Abstract: Provided is an inspection apparatus or observation apparatus enabling appropriate inspection or observation of a sample in an easy-to-use manner, using a charged-particle technique and an optical technique.