Abstract: Apparatus and method capable of preparing samples adapted for observations by electron microscopy. Each sample is ion-etched. During this process, the sample stage is tilted reciprocably left and right about a tilting axis. The sample is ion-etched together with a shielding material. The sample may contain a substance that is not easily etched by the ion beam. In the present invention, such unetched portions are not produced in spite of the presence of the substance. The substance can be separated from the sample. The ion beam is directed at the sample with the boundary defined by an end surface of the shielding material. Portions of the sample at a processing position and its vicinities are etched by the beam.

Abstract: A mask for use with a sample preparation apparatus that prepares an ion-milled sample adapted to be observed by an electron microscope is offered. It is possible to prepare the sample having a desired cross section by the use of the mask. The mask, which defines the boundary between irradiated and unirradiated regions on the sample surface, has an edge portion having an increased thickness compared with the other portions. When the edge portion of the mask is etched, the original shape is almost maintained. Thus, the side surface of the mask is kept on the center axis of the ion beam.

Abstract: There is disclosed an X-ray analyzer capable of precisely measuring a trace amount of cadmium contained in plastic. The analyzer has an X-ray filter assembly between an X-ray tube having an Rh target and a plastic sample. The filter assembly consists of first, second, and third X-ray filters which are made of zirconium, copper, and molybdenum, respectively. The first through third X-ray filters have thicknesses of about 100 ?m, 200 ?m, and 40 ?m, respectively.

Abstract: Apparatus and method capable of preparing samples adapted for observations by electron microscopy. Each sample is ion-etched. During this process, the sample stage is tilted reciprocably left and right about a tilting axis. The sample is ion-etched together with a shielding material. The sample may contain a substance that is not easily etched by the ion beam. In the present invention, such unetched portions are not produced in spite of the presence of the substance. The substance can be separated from the sample. The ion beam is directed at the sample with the boundary defined by an end surface of the shielding material. Portions of the sample at a processing position and its vicinities are etched by the beam.

Abstract: A mask for use with a sample preparation apparatus that prepares an ion-milled sample adapted to be observed by an electron microscope is offered. It is possible to prepare the sample having a desired cross section by the use of the mask. The mask, which defines the boundary between irradiated and unirradiated regions on the sample surface, has an edge portion having an increased thickness compared with the other portions. When the edge portion of the mask is etched, the original shape is almost maintained. Thus, the side surface of the mask is kept on the center axis of the ion beam.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of easily producing a long-lived ion sensitive film having excellent durability and used in an ion sensor. The method starts with preparing a monomer mixture consisting chiefly of monomer units including a functional group and a second group of bonded atoms. The functional group has a function of identifying a certain chemical substance. The second group can become an active species that induces a polymerization or bridging reaction by being irradiated with an electron beam or radiation. Then, the monomer mixture is irradiated with the electron beam or radiation in a low energy range. Thus, the monomer mixture is polymerized.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system for managing data. The invention is intended to provide a data managing method and data managing system capable of classifying created files and managing them without depending on the operator's ability. The method is for use in an analytical instrument having a function of imaging a specimen and a function of analyzing the specimen. The area of the specimen from which the image has been taken is analyzed totally or partially. The analytical instrument includes an analytical data managing unit for recording the resulting data hierarchically in a corresponding manner to the specimen area.

Abstract: There is disclosed an analytical method capable of performing an analysis in electron microscopy by directing an electron beam at set analysis points wherein a reference image is displayed on a monitor and a user selects plural analysis points within the image. The specimen stage is returned to the approximate position where the reference image was obtained and a new image is obtained. At this time, the newly obtained image does not completely agree in position with the reference image due to accuracy of movement of the stage. The two images are supplied to a deviation amount calculator, which, in turn, compares the images and finds the amount of deviation of the newly obtained image from the reference image.

Abstract: There is disclosed an X-ray analyzer capable of precisely measuring a trace amount of cadmium contained in plastic. The analyzer has an X-ray filter assembly between an X-ray tube having an Rh target and a plastic sample. The filter assembly consists of first, second, and third X-ray filters which are made of zirconium, copper, and molybdenum, respectively. The first through third X-ray filters have thicknesses of about 100 &mgr;m, 200 &mgr;m, and 40 &mgr;m, respectively.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of easily producing a long-lived ion sensitive film having excellent durability and used in an ion sensor. The method starts with preparing a monomer mixture consisting chiefly of monomer units including a functional group and a second group of bonded atoms. The functional group has a function of identifying a certain chemical substance. The second group can become an active species that induces a polymerization or bridging reaction by being irradiated with an electron beam or radiation. Then, the monomer mixture is irradiated with the electron beam or radiation in a low energy range. Thus, the monomer mixture is polymerized.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system for managing data. The invention is intended to provide a data managing method and data managing system capable of classifying created files and managing them without depending on the operator's ability. The method is for use in an analytical instrument having a function of imaging a specimen and a function of analyzing the specimen. The area of the specimen from which the image has been taken is analyzed totally or partially. The analytical instrument includes an analytical data managing unit for recording the resulting data hierarchically in a corresponding manner to the specimen area.

Abstract: A scanning electron microscope capable of imaging a specimen at a magnification lower than the minimum magnification of the microscope. The specimen surface is virtually partitioned into cells. The specimen is so moved that the cells can be individually scanned by the electron beam and hence image data can be taken from each cell. Image data derived from each cell by the scan is stored in locations of an image memory that are addressed corresponding to the positions of the cells.

Abstract: There is disclosed a long-lived thermal field emission electron gun for use in a scanning electron microscope. The gun has a tungsten tip. The surface of this tip is coated with zirconium, zirconium oxide, titanium or titanium oxide. A wire member is mounted above the front end of the tungsten tip to prevent the coating of zirconium or other material from slipping off.

Abstract: There is disclosed a rectangular filter which has a simple configuration and is capable of producing an improved rectangular wave. An input step wave is differentiated by a differentiator circuit and amplified by a first amplifier. The output from the amplifier is inverted by an inverting amplifier having a gain of -1. The output from the first amplifier is integrated by an integrator circuit having a time constant equal to the time constant of the differentiator circuit. The output from the inverting amplifier and the output from the integrator circuit are summed up by an adding circuit. The input signal is faithfully reproduced at the output of the adding circuit. After a given time passes since the input signal has been applied, the capacitor of the integrator circuit is shorted out. In this way, a rectangular wave is obtained. There is also disclosed a filter amplifier comprising this rectangular filter and a gated integrator for integrating the output from the rectangular filter for a predetermined time.