Abstract: A stage apparatus includes a surface plate as well as a guide shaft fixedly secured to the surface plate, a drive member moving along the guide shaft, and a hydrostatic fluid bearing that forms fluid films in the gap portion between the guide shaft and the drive member. The apparatus further includes: a positional deviation detection section—for detecting a relative positional deviation which occurs between the guide shaft and the drive member and which affects the thickness dimensions of the fluid films; and a state decision section for making a decision on the condition of the apparatus itself based on the positional deviation detected by the detection section and outputting information responsive to the decision.

Abstract: Preparing a thin-film specimen adapted for TEM (transmission electron microscopy) observation. A high-brightness pixel extraction unit extracts high-brightness pixels which form a specimen image taken by an imaging unit. The intensities becoming greater than a given threshold value as the specimen is thinned. A decision unit makes a decision as to whether the high-brightness pixels extracted by the high-brightness pixel extraction unit form a continuous sequence of pixels whose number is in excess of a given number on the specimen image. If the decision is affirmative, the decision unit sends a signal to an ion gun control unit to stop the ion-beam irradiation of the specimen.

Abstract: There is disclosed a scanning electron microscope capable of removing the effects of vibrations on image information easily and reliably by detecting variations in the relative position between a specimen chamber holding a specimen therein and the specimen stage. The microscope has an image-processing portion that obtains information about the relative position between the specimen stage and the specimen chamber from a measurement unit when the beam is scanned. Based on the information about the relative position, a pixel position-correcting unit makes corrections to pixel positions indicated by the image information obtained by the scanning. An image creation unit creates image elements to eliminate pixel dropouts or pixel duplication produced by the aforementioned corrections. An image extraction unit extracts an image to be displayed.

Abstract: There is disclosed a cross-sectional specimen preparation apparatus. The milling position can be modified or corrected in a short time. Also, the internal structure of the specimen can be known. The apparatus has an optical observation device for observing a cross section of the specimen milled by the ion beam. During ion beam irradiation or when the irradiation is interrupted, a shutter is opened. The cross section of the specimen can be observed while maintaining the vacuum inside a processing chamber. The apparatus further includes an adjusting mechanism for varying the relative position between the specimen and the shielding material. Whenever one sectioning operation ends, an image of the cross section is accepted and the milling position is moved an incremental distance. A three-dimensional image of the specimen is constructed from obtained plural images.

Abstract: Preparing a thin-film specimen adapted for TEM (transmission electron microscopy) observation. A high-brightness pixel extraction unit extracts high-brightness pixels which form a specimen image taken by an imaging unit. The intensities becoming greater than a given threshold value as the specimen is thinned. A decision unit makes a decision as to whether the high-brightness pixels extracted by the high-brightness pixel extraction unit form a continuous sequence of pixels whose number is in excess of a given number on the specimen image. If the decision is affirmative, the decision unit sends a signal to an ion gun control unit to stop the ion-beam irradiation of the specimen.

Abstract: There is disclosed a scanning electron microscope capable of removing the effects of vibrations on image information easily and reliably by detecting variations in the relative position between a specimen chamber holding a specimen therein and the specimen stage. The microscope has an image-processing portion that obtains information about the relative position between the specimen stage and the specimen chamber from a measurement unit when the beam is scanned. Based on the information about the relative position, a pixel position-correcting unit makes corrections to pixel positions indicated by the image information obtained by the scanning. An image creation unit creates image elements to eliminate pixel dropouts or pixel duplication produced by the aforementioned corrections. An image extraction unit extracts an image to be displayed.

Abstract: A specimen inspection instrument has a specimen-moving mechanism mounted within a specimen chamber. An electrical current, induced across the specimen by the mechanism, is detected with a detector. The specimen is examined based on the obtained detector output signal. An amplifier for amplifying the detector output signal is placed outside the specimen chamber. A first lead wire passes the detector output signal to the outside amplifier through the wall of the specimen chamber. A second lead wire connects a conductive partition member with a conducting member and with a reference input terminal of the amplifier that determines a reference potential for the output from the amplifier.

Abstract: A specimen inspection instrument has a specimen-moving mechanism mounted within a specimen chamber. An electrical current, induced across the specimen by the mechanism, is detected with a detector. The specimen is examined based on the obtained detector output signal. An amplifier for amplifying the detector output signal is placed outside the specimen chamber. A first lead wire passes the detector output signal to the outside amplifier through the wall of the specimen chamber. A second lead wire connects a conductive partition member with a conducting member and with a reference input terminal of the amplifier that determines a reference potential for the output from the amplifier.