JP2000268763A - Composite microscope system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide the subject system with merits both of an electron microscope and an optical microscope by providing the system with a control personal computer, the electron and optical microscopes controlled by the personal computer, and a monitor displaying an observed magnified image in an changeover manner. SOLUTION: In an optical microscope 1 the magnification ratio is controlled by a control part 3 and the focus is controlled by a focus control part 4, while the position of a sample stage is controlled by a sample stage control part 4. In an electron microscope 6, the magnification ratio is controlled by a magnification control part 8 and the focus is controlled by a focus control part 9, while the position of a sample stage is controlled by a sample stage control part 10. An image changeover part 13 is controlled by a control operation personal computer 15. With such a construction, the cameral 11 and the microscopes 1, 6 are controlled by one control operation personal computer 15, and a required observation image is displayed on one monitor 14.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a compound microscope system for operating a plurality of microscopes in a unified manner for observation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Microscopes include transmission electron microscopes, scanning electron microscopes, and optical microscopes. In each of these devices, a sample is set on a sample stage of a microscope, a place to be observed is selected on the stage, and further,
This is to observe a magnified image by selecting a desired magnification. Generally, an optical microscope is used, and a scanning electron microscope is used in a research institute of a university or a company. Usually, they are used as individual devices.

[0003]

The general advantages and disadvantages of the scanning electron microscope and the optical microscope are shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 shows that the advantages and disadvantages of a scanning electron microscope are often the reverse of the advantages and disadvantages of an optical microscope. There was no situation. However, devices that allow optical observation of electron microscope samples by installing an optical camera in a scanning electron microscope are also commercially available, but for the purpose of facilitating the selection of observation sites.
This situation does not have the advantages of the optical microscope shown in FIG. This is because, in an electron microscope, since the conductivity of the sample is required, the color information of the sample is changed in order to perform a deposition process of a conductive material on the sample.
Furthermore, it is difficult to observe a living thing with an electron microscope because the sample must be placed in a vacuum.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and operates and operates a scanning electron microscope and an optical microscope in a unified manner.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a compound microscope system which realizes a device that controls and realizes both the advantages of a scanning electron microscope and the advantages of an optical microscope.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, a compound microscope system according to the present invention comprises a control personal computer,
An optical microscope and an electron microscope controlled by the control personal computer, and a monitor on which the observation enlarged image of the optical microscope or the observation enlarged image of the electron microscope is switched and displayed. .

Further, the compound microscope system of the present invention comprises an optical microscope, an optical microscope magnification control unit for controlling the microscope magnification of the optical microscope, an optical microscope focus control unit for controlling the microscope focus of the optical microscope, An optical microscope sample stage controller for controlling the position of the sample stage of the optical microscope, an electron microscope, an electron microscope magnification controller for controlling the microscope magnification of the electron microscope, and a microscope focus of the electron microscope are controlled. An electron microscope focus controller,
An electron microscope sample stage controller for controlling a position of a sample stage of the electron microscope; an optical microscope magnification controller, an optical microscope focus controller, an optical microscope sample stage controller, an electron microscope magnification controller, and an electron microscope focus controller. Unit and an operation personal computer for controlling the electron microscope sample stage control unit, a camera, and the camera are connected via a camera image display unit and the optical microscope is connected via an optical microscope image display unit. An image switching unit to which the electron microscope is connected via an electron microscope image display unit, and that the image switching unit is controlled by the control unit operation personal computer so that the camera image from the camera image display unit or the optical microscope A monitor on which an optical microscope image from the image display unit or an electron microscope image from the electron microscope image display unit is switched and displayed. It is characterized in that it comprises a.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a structural explanatory view showing an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes an optical microscope. In the optical microscope 1, the microscope magnification is controlled by an optical microscope magnification control unit 3, the microscope focus is controlled by an optical microscope focus control unit 4, and the optical microscope sample stage is controlled. The section 5 controls the position of the sample stage. Reference numeral 6 denotes an electron microscope. The electron microscope 6 has a microscope magnification controlled by an electron microscope magnification control unit 8, a microscope focus is controlled by an electron microscope focus control unit 9, and an electron microscope sample stage control unit. 10 controls the position of the sample stage. The optical microscope magnification control unit 3, the optical microscope focus control unit 4, the optical microscope sample stage control unit 5, the electron microscope magnification control unit 8, the electron microscope focus control unit 9, and the electron microscope sample stage control unit 10 are each a control unit operation. It is controlled by the personal computer 15. Reference numeral 11 denotes a camera, which is connected to an image switching unit 13 via a camera image display unit 12. The optical microscope 1 is connected to an image switching unit 13 via an optical microscope image display unit 2, and the electron microscope 6 is connected to an image switching unit 13 via an electron microscope image display unit 7. The image switching unit 13 is controlled by the control unit operation personal computer 15, and outputs a camera image from the camera image display unit 12.
The optical microscope image from the optical microscope image display unit 2 or the electron microscope image from the electron microscope image display unit 7 is switched and displayed on the monitor 14.

In operating these, a sample to be observed is, for example, a butterfly having a size of several cm. First, an optical microscope 1
On the sample stage. A characteristic part such as a butterfly mouth, a tactile sensation, or a wing is cut out into a few mm square, and is subjected to a vapor deposition process and the like, and then placed on a sample stage of the electron microscope 6.

Next, magnification selection, focusing, and sample stage movement of the optical microscope 1 are controlled by an optical microscope magnification control unit 3, an optical microscope focus control unit 4, and an optical microscope sample stage control unit 5, respectively. The results controlled in 3, 4, and 5 are displayed on the optical microscope image display unit 2. The operation of each of the control units 3, 4, and 5 is performed by the control unit operation personal computer 1.
5 through. In addition, the control unit operation personal computer 15
Operates the image switching unit 13 to display the optical microscope 1 on the monitor 14.
Is displayed. Here, the magnification of the observed enlarged image is several times to about 200 times, and it is a color display as a matter of course.
The optical microscope 1 is equipped with a camera 11,
The same place as the optical microscope 1 can be observed at a low magnification of about 1 ×, and the observed image is displayed on the camera image display unit 12. With this camera 11, the entire butterfly having a size of several cm can be observed.

Further, magnification selection, focusing, and sample stage movement of the electron microscope 6 are controlled by an electron microscope magnification control unit 8, an electron microscope focus control unit 9, and an electron microscope sample stage control unit 10, respectively. The results controlled in 8, 9, and 10 are displayed on the electron microscope image display unit 7.
The respective operations of the control units 8, 9, and 10 are performed through the same personal computer as the control unit operation personal computer 15 described above. The control unit operation personal computer 15 operates the image switching unit 13 to display an enlarged image of the electron microscope 6 on the monitor 14. Here, the magnification of the observed enlarged image is several tens to several tens of thousands.

As described above, the camera 11, the optical microscope 1, and the electron microscope 6 are controlled by one control unit operation personal computer 15, and the desired observation image is displayed on one monitor 14
Is displayed on the screen.

The effects of the present invention will be described with reference to the screens of the control unit operation personal computer shown in FIGS. FIG. 2 is a display screen of the control unit operation personal computer in the optical microscope operation mode. “Optical microscope operation mode” at the upper left of the screen is highlighted, indicating that the operation screen of the optical microscope is currently displayed. Furthermore, since the “microscope button” at the lower right is highlighted, it indicates that the observation image of the optical microscope is displayed on the monitor. The sample names are described in the list on the left side, and the XY coordinates of each sample name are input. At present, No. 3 "Butterfly Wing 2" is selected, and the character is highlighted. By clicking this number or the sample name with the mouse, the desired sample stage is instantaneously moved, and the desired observation image is displayed on the monitor. The “cross button” on the right side of the sample list is a sway / fine movement button on the XY stage.
In each case, the “black circle” part is a sloppy button and the “white circle” is a fine movement button. The sample can be moved to a desired site with the “cross button”. In addition, focusing is performed on the rightmost “focal scale”. In the case of this optical microscope, the focus is adjusted by adjusting the height of the eyepiece.
It has a vertical bar format. After selecting and focusing the observation position of the sample with the "cross button" and the "focus scale", respectively, the optimal size of the observation region is selected with the "enlarge button" and the "reduction button". This "magnify button"
The observation magnification can be increased several times to about 2
Up to 00 times can be easily selected. By clicking the "camera button" at the lower right, a low-magnification image of the same field of view as the optical microscope can be displayed on the monitor.
By selecting "Camera button" and "Microscope button",
It is very easy to switch between a camera and an optical microscope.

Next, switching from the optical microscope operation mode to the electron microscope operation mode, the screen of the electron microscope operation mode will be described. When the "electron microscope operation mode" in the upper right part of the screen in FIG. 2 is clicked, the display screen of the control unit operation personal computer in the electron microscope operation mode in FIG. 3 is displayed.
At this time, the “electron microscope operation mode” at the upper right of the clicked screen is highlighted. This indicates that the operation mode has been switched to the operation screen of the electron microscope. The basic screen configuration is designed similarly to the optical microscope operation mode screen. The list on the left shows the sample names, and the names associated with the sample names of the optical microscope are entered. On this screen, No. 4 “Butterfly Feet” is selected, and the characters are highlighted. By clicking this number or sample name with the mouse, the sample stage is instantaneously moved to the desired sample, and the desired observation image is displayed on the monitor. The “cross button” on the right side of the sample list is XY like the optical microscope.
It is a sway / fine movement button for the stage. The sample can be moved to a desired site with the “cross button”. The focus is adjusted by a "focus button" at the lower right. After selecting and focusing the observation position of the sample with the "cross button" and the "focus button", respectively, the optimum size of the observation region is selected with the "magnify button" and the "reduction button".
By operating the “enlarge button” and “reduce button”,
The observation magnification can be easily selected from tens to tens of thousands of times. Further, to return from the electron microscope operation mode to the optical microscope operation mode, it is only necessary to click “optical microscope operation mode” at the upper left of the screen in FIG. At this time, the display screen of the control unit operation personal computer in the optical microscope operation mode shown in FIG. 2 is displayed, and the “optical microscope operation mode” at the upper left of the clicked screen is highlighted.

As described above, according to the present system, it is possible to easily observe a magnified image up to tens of thousands of times, which can be observed only with an electron microscope, using an operation technique comparable to that of a conventional optical microscope.
Further, there is an advantage that all the disadvantages of the electron microscope shown in FIG. 4 can be overcome. In other words, it is easy to continuously and unifiedly observe a magnified image from about 1 to tens of thousands of times even with a large sample of several cm square. As a matter of course, up to about 200 times, it is possible to observe the color information of the sample and to observe living things.

As is apparent from FIG. 1, once the sample is set on the optical microscope and the electron microscope, the observer operates only the control unit operation personal computer while observing the enlarged image on the monitor. Is what you do. Thus, the monitor image can be connected to an image communication line such as ISDN, and a personal computer can also be connected to the communication line for remote control. In other words, this system is expected to have new uses in science classes such as junior high schools.

[0018]

As described above, according to the present invention, a scanning electron microscope and an optical microscope are unifiedly operated and controlled to realize an apparatus having both advantages of a scanning electron microscope and an optical microscope. A composite microscope system can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration explanatory view showing an example of a display screen of a control unit operation personal computer in an optical microscope operation mode according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration explanatory diagram showing an example of a display screen of a control unit operation personal computer in an electron microscope operation mode according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing advantages and disadvantages of a scanning electron microscope and an optical microscope according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Optical microscope 2 Optical microscope image display part 3 Optical microscope magnification control part 4 Optical microscope focus control part 5 Optical microscope sample stage control part 6 Electron microscope 7 Electron microscope image display part 8 Electron microscope magnification control part 9 Electron microscope focus control part 10 Electron microscope sample stage control unit 11 Camera 12 Camera image display unit 13 Image switching unit 14 Monitor 15 Operation computer for control unit

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Claims (2)

[Claims] A control personal computer, an optical microscope and an electron microscope controlled by the control personal computer, and a monitor on which an observation enlarged image of the optical microscope or an observation enlarged image of the electron microscope is switched and displayed. A compound microscope system comprising: 2. An optical microscope, an optical microscope magnification controller for controlling a microscope magnification of the optical microscope, an optical microscope focus controller for controlling a microscope focus of the optical microscope, and a sample stage of the optical microscope. An optical microscope sample stage controller whose position is controlled, an electron microscope, an electron microscope magnification controller that controls the microscope magnification of the electron microscope, and an electron microscope focus controller that controls the microscope focus of the electron microscope. An electron microscope sample stage controller for controlling the position of the sample stage of the electron microscope; an optical microscope magnification controller, an optical microscope focus controller; an optical microscope sample stage controller; an electron microscope magnification controller; An operation personal computer for the control unit that controls the control unit and the electron microscope sample stage control unit, a camera, and this camera An image switching unit connected via an image display unit, the optical microscope is connected via an optical microscope image display unit, and the electron microscope is connected via an electron microscope image display unit, and the image switching unit is The camera image from the camera image display unit, the optical microscope image from the optical microscope image display unit, or the electron microscope image from the electron microscope image display unit is switched and displayed under the control of the control unit operation personal computer. A compound microscope system comprising a monitor.