Abstract: An electron microscope including a vacuum chamber for containing a specimen to be analyzed, an optics column, including an electron source and a final probe forming lens, for focusing electrons emitted from the electron source, a specimen stage positioned in the vacuum chamber under the probe forming lens for holding the specimen, and an x-ray detector positioned within the vacuum chamber. The x-ray detector includes an x-ray sensitive solid-state sensor and a mechanical support system for supporting and positioning the detector, including the sensor, within the vacuum chamber. The entirety of the mechanical support system is contained within the vacuum chamber. Multiple detectors of different types may be supported within the vacuum chamber on the mechanical support system. The mechanical support system may also include at least one thermoelectric cooler element for thermo-electrically cooling the x-ray sensors.

Abstract: An electron microscope including a vacuum chamber for containing a specimen to be analyzed, an optics column, including an electron source and a final probe forming lens, for focusing electrons emitted from the electron source, a specimen stage positioned in the vacuum chamber under the probe forming lens for holding the specimen, and an x-ray detector positioned within the vacuum chamber. The x-ray detector includes an x-ray sensitive solid-state sensor and a mechanical support system for supporting and positioning the detector, including the sensor, within the vacuum chamber. The entirety of the mechanical support system is contained within the vacuum chamber. Multiple detectors of different types may be supported within the vacuum chamber on the mechanical support system. The mechanical support system may also include at least one thermoelectric cooler element for thermo-electrically cooling the x-ray sensors.

Abstract: An electron microscope including a vacuum chamber for containing a specimen to be analyzed, an optics column, including an electron source and a final probe forming lens, for focusing electrons emitted from the electron source, a specimen stage positioned in the vacuum chamber under the probe forming lens for holding the specimen, and an x-ray detector positioned within the vacuum chamber. The x-ray detector includes an x-ray sensitive solid-state sensor and a mechanical support system for supporting and positioning the detector, including the sensor, within the vacuum chamber. The entirety of the mechanical support system is contained within the vacuum chamber. Multiple detectors of different types may be supported within the vacuum chamber on the mechanical support system. The mechanical support system may also include at least one thermoelectric cooler element for thermo-electrically cooling the x-ray sensors.

Abstract: A system is presented for evaluating the performance of a particle detecting and measuring instrument wherein the instrument receives a specimen and detects the number of particles on the specimen and measures the descriptive parameters of the particles. The system includes a known specimen received by the instrument and wherein the known specimen has known particles on the specimen, with known parameters of each known particle on the specimen. The instrument detects the known particles and measures the parameters thereof. A matching of individual measured particles is made against individual known particles by means of selected known parameters thereof. A comparison is made of the parameters of each measured particle against the parameters of each known particle to which the measured particle was matched and an indication is provided of the instrument's performance as a function of the matching and the comparison.

Abstract: An instrument system is controlled to acquire an optical image of an object, with the optical image defining a first coordinate system. The object is positioned in a second coordinate system and a point in the optical image is selected. The object is repositioned so that a point on the object corresponding to the selected point in the optical image is positioned at a predetermined point in the second coordinate system. Alternatively, movement of the object causes an indicia on the optical image to move to a point thereon corresponding to the point on the object that is positioned at the predetermined point in the second coordinate system.