Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide an electron beam device and a sample holding device for the electron beam device that can observe the reaction between a sample and a gas at high resolution while a gas atmosphere is maintained even by using thin diaphragms. To solve one of the problems described above, in an electron beam device having the function of separately exhausting an electron beam irradiation portion of an optical column, a sample chamber and an observation chamber, a gas supply means for supplying a gas to a sample and an exhaust means for exhausting a gas are provided to sample holding means, diaphragms are disposed above and below the sample to separate the gas atmosphere and vacuum of the sample chamber and to constitute a cell sealing the atmosphere around the sample, and a mechanism for spraying a gas is provided to the outside of the diaphragms. The gas sprayed outside the diaphragms has low electron beam scattering performance such as hydrogen, oxygen or nitrogen.

Abstract: Disclosed is an oxide and/or nitride support for electrode catalysts, which is used for electrodes for polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFC). The support for electrode catalysts is an aggregation body of primary particles of oxide of at least one kind of metal selected from rare earths, alkaline earths, transition metals, niobium, bismuth, tin, antimony, zirconium, molybdenum, indium, tantalum, and tungsten, and the aggregation body is configured such that at least 80% of the metal oxide primary particles having a size of 5 nm to 100 nm aggregate and bind each other to form dendritic or chain structures each of which is made of 5 or more of the metal oxide primary particles.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide an electron beam device and a sample holding device for the electron beam device that can observe the reaction between a sample and a gas at high resolution while a gas atmosphere is maintained even by using thin diaphragms. To solve one of the problems described above, in an electron beam device having the function of separately exhausting an electron beam irradiation portion of an optical column, a sample chamber and an observation chamber, a gas supply means for supplying a gas to a sample and an exhaust means for exhausting a gas are provided to sample holding means, diaphragms are disposed above and below the sample to separate the gas atmosphere and vacuum of the sample chamber and to constitute a cell sealing the atmosphere around the sample, and a mechanism for spraying a gas is provided to the outside of the diaphragms. The gas sprayed outside the diaphragms has low electron beam scattering performance such as hydrogen, oxygen or nitrogen.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a standard specimen for a charged particle beam enabling highly precise measurement of sub-micron to several 10 ?m in size on an image and an apparatus using the standard specimen. In order to attain the above described object, the present invention provides a standard specimen for a charged particle beam including two different specimens for magnification or measurement calibration and a charged particle beam apparatus using the specimens.

Abstract: A focused ion beam system capable of acquiring surface structure information, internal structure information, and internal composition information about a sample simultaneously from the same field of view of the sample. A method of sample preparation and observation employs such focused ion beam system to accurately set a sample processing position based on information about the structure and composition of the sample acquired from multiple directions of the sample, and to process and observe the sample. The system includes, in order to acquire the sample structure and composition information simultaneously, a secondary electron detector, a transmission electron detector, and an energy dispersive X-ray spectroscope or an electron energy loss spectroscope, and employs a stub having the sample rotating and tilting function. The method includes a marking process.

Abstract: In a charged particle beam device and a specimen holder for the charged particle beam device each of which comprises a mechanism for blowing with a gas at least partially a specimen to be observed, the mechanism includes small flow rate gas spout openings arranged opposed to each other through the specimen with a small distance between the specimen and each of the small flow rate gas spout openings.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a standard specimen for a charged particle beam enabling highly precise measurement of sub-micron to several 10 ?m in size on an image and an apparatus using the standard specimen. In order to attain the above described object, the present invention provides a standard specimen for a charged particle beam including two different specimens for magnification or measurement calibration and a charged particle beam apparatus using the specimens.

Abstract: A focused ion beam system capable of acquiring surface structure information, internal structure information, and internal composition information about a sample simultaneously from the same field of view of the sample. A method of sample preparation and observation employs such focused ion beam system to accurately set a sample processing position based on information about the structure and composition of the sample acquired from multiple directions of the sample, and to process and observe the sample. The system includes, in order to acquire the sample structure and composition information simultaneously, a secondary electron detector, a transmission electron detector, and an energy dispersive X-ray spectroscope or an electron energy loss spectroscope, and employs a stub having the sample rotating and tilting function. The method includes a marking process.

Abstract: An electron beam device is provided with an electron beam diffraction image analysis section for calculation of the lattice distance from the diffraction image taken into by the TV camera for observation of the electron beam diffraction image, the EDX analysis section for acquiring a composition of the material, the data base for retrieval of material characterization, and the material characterization section having the data base retrieval function. The material characterization section characterizes the material by retrieving the retrieval data base, based upon the lattice distance data transferred from the electron beam diffraction image analysis section and the element data transferred from the EDX analysis sectio.

Abstract: An electron beam device is provided with an electron beam diffraction image analysis section for calculation of the lattice distance from the diffraction image taken into by the TV camera for observation of the electron beam diffraction image, the EDX analysis section for acquiring a composition of the material, the data base for retrieval of material characterization, and the material characterization section having the data base retrieval function. The material characterization section characterizes the material by retrieving the retrieval data base, based upon the lattice distance data transferred from the electron beam diffraction image analysis section and the element data transferred from the EDX analysis sectio.

Abstract: High resolution observation of a sample at a high temperature above 1000° C. is accomplished by suppressing sample drift by heating over a short time and with small electric current. A heater envelope made of a ceramic having a carbon coating on the surface is attached around a heater surrounding the sample. The heater envelope is rotatable around pivot screws, and has an outer frame portion of a holder individually having slots capable of letting an FIB enter so that the sample mounting on the holder, as it is, may be milled with the FIB.

Abstract: A method of operating an electron microscope under a high temperature and the electron microscope are provided. The electron microscope can stably set and efficiently heat a sample to observe and measure high temperature physical properties such as phase transformation, phase transition and the like required for development of a heat resistant material. In the method of operating the electron microscope and the electron microscope, a sample to be observed is set so as to position at a central hole of a double spiral flat filament, the detachable heating stage is fixed to the heating holder using screws of a pivot, and the heating stage is tilted by vertical movement of a crank-shaped arm. The heating stage and the arm are insulated from each other by an insulating body, and current from a power source is conducted by a conductor wire to heat the filament.

Abstract: A specimen to be irradiated with an electron beam is supported by a heating member secured detachably to a specimen holder and the heating member, a power supply therefor and electric conductive lines for conducting a electric power from the power supply to the heating member are integrated into the specimen holder.