JP2001091857A - Micro-manipulation device for microfabrication - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a micro-manipulation device for microfabrication capable of facilitating some processing for a microscopic sample after accurately specifying the processing area of the sample in the case of processing the sample through a microscope. SOLUTION: In this device for executing a microfabrication while observing the microscopic image of the sample, the displacement of a probe tip is instantly calculated and fed back while always observing the probe tip, then, an optical error and a mechanical error due to the set magnification of the microscope are absorbed, the microfabrication is executed by using the micro-manipulation device. It is preferable that the user always observes the probe tip in the picture of a monitoring television camera installed in a microscope sample chamber.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a microscopic sample such as processing or moving a microscopic specimen while observing an image of the specimen in an optical or electron microscope. More specifically, the present invention provides a micromanipulation apparatus for fine work, which performs work under microscope observation of a body sample while tracking the work with a television monitor camera.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, so-called fine work, in which a microscopic specimen is not merely observed with a microscope but is processed extremely finely under a microscope, has been generally performed. However, especially with the recent development of micromachines or bio-related technologies, the requirements and importance of capturing a specimen in the field of view of a microscope and performing some advanced processing using a manipulator are:
With the improvement of its accuracy, it is becoming more sophisticated than ever. This technology not only requires high resolution of the motion resolution due to the miniaturization of the target specimen, but also handles extremely small specimens in the field of view of the microscope to operate specific parts. It requires high precision and simplification of technology, and it is necessary to ensure operability and certainty of fine work while increasing the degree of freedom of movement on the specimen sample side.

[0003] The movements required for minute work are the X-axis of the probe mounted on the manipulator and the specimen,
It is concentrated on linear movement in the Y-axis and Z-axis directions and rotational movement around the Z-axis. For linear movement in each axial direction, for example, if the movement is minute movement at a level of several tens of μm, a piezoelectric element having a displacement detection function for feedback added to a piezo element is generally used. Although it depends on the displacement detecting means, a resolution of 1 nm or less can be realized relatively easily at a high resolution.

[0004] In addition, with regard to the rotational movement, a fixed point is determined, and a movement in consideration of the rotational degree of freedom around the fixed point is possible. A sample stage and a manipulator on which a specimen is mounted are provided. By rotating the drive stands individually, accurate rotation can be performed with high resolution. In this case, the center of rotation is fixed, and there is an advantage that the tip of the probe of the manipulator is always fixed in the fine processing operation. The present inventors have already proposed in Japanese Patent Application No. 10-62605 a work table for fine work in which the center of rotation can be set to an arbitrary position.

In the case of this type of conventional micromanipulator, actual micromachining is performed using a manipulator equipped with a processing probe at the tip. By moving the manipulator, the processing of the specimen is performed at the tip of the probe tip. Usually, the movement of the specimen and the movement of the probe are designed to be independent. Further, since the confirmation of the processing point in the processing operation is performed in a microscope image having a relatively narrow field of view and a shallow depth of focus, it has many restrictions and is very difficult.

In actual microfabrication work, especially in the biotechnology field, a manifest sample is a living body, and its form takes a complicated three-dimensional structure. Specific micromachining operations include cutting, drilling, cutting, peeling, pasting,
An operation that requires a repetitive operation for a specific portion, such as joining, can be mainly cited. In order to perform these operations, first, the microscope sample is captured under the field of view of the microscope, the specific processing area and the processing direction for the processing operation are determined, fixed to the optical axis of the observation microscope, and then freely rotated. It is necessary to perform a fine machining operation while displacing or tilting and simultaneously displacing the position of the probe of the manipulator. In particular, in a repetitive operation, it is extremely important to set a reference point (initial position) of the probe tip and a moving distance required for the operation. If this shifts a little, the accuracy of the work is lost, resulting in a rough work.

The present inventors have already disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 11-251.
No. 55, a micromanipulator equipped with a work table on which a specimen is mounted and a plurality of manipulators, wherein the work table and the plurality of manipulators allow a fine operation in an independent arbitrary direction. Above, we have proposed a micromanipulation device in which the main movements are basically combined. With this device, more complicated operations can be performed more reliably and accurately without removing the sample and the probe tip from the visual field of the microscope, and it is clear that the conventional device has been significantly improved. However, since the microscope image has an extremely narrow field of view and a shallow depth of focus, and is two-dimensional, the operation is basically still difficult.

[0008] In general, microscopic errors and mechanical errors are present in images observed by a microscope. The magnification in the microscope observation image is a relative magnification in consideration of the optical error and the mechanical error, and a slight change or difference is seen from the set magnification (absolute magnification). The range of the subtle change is, for example, about 990 to 1010 times when the set magnification is 1000 times. When these fine changes and microscopic manipulation of microscopic specimens with micromanipulators in the presence of differences are performed while observing microscopic images, these differences become obstacles.
It also upsets the accuracy of the machining operation. In other words, when a minute repetitive operation or a minute driving operation such as the above-described cutting of a specific part is required, the required displacement amount (moving distance) from the reference point (initial position) of the probe tip in the visual field of the microscope observation image is required. After being confirmed in the image field of view, the value is converted into a numerical value by conversion from the set magnification and set. However, since the actual magnification is a relative magnification taking into account the above-described optical error and mechanical error, the displacement calculated from the set magnification has a slight difference from the actually required displacement. The tendency is particularly remarkable when the work is performed while changing the set magnification in the course of the work, or when the work is performed while moving the position of the visual field.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present inventors have made intensive studies to further improve the operability and reliability of fine work in a micromanipulation apparatus. By performing so-called visual feedback means that the amount of displacement is calculated while constantly observing the probe tip, and the amount of feedback is fed back, when performing fine work on the specimen in the observation image field of view. It has been found that the above-described optical error and mechanical error can be absorbed. That is, an object of the present invention is to provide a micromanipulator for fine work, which can smoothly and reliably observe, process, and confirm an extremely fine region.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for performing a fine processing operation on a microscope sample while observing a microscope image. By performing calculation and feeding back, optical errors and mechanical errors in the microscope setting magnification are absorbed, and the micromanipulation apparatus for fine work is characterized by performing fine work. Observation of the probe tip can be performed, for example, by an image of a monitoring television camera installed in the microscope sample chamber.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The essential point of the present invention is to perform a fine work while constantly grasping a working probe needle tip and a specimen in a visual field of an image observed by a microscope while moving a manipulator. An object of the present invention is to prevent a subtle change and an error caused by an optical error and a mechanical error with respect to a set magnification of a microscope from adversely affecting accuracy of work. That is, the subtle difference between the displacement amount calculated from the set magnification and the actually required displacement amount is determined by using an image different from the microscope image, for example, an image of a monitoring television camera installed in the microscope sample chamber. The visual feedback means is used to constantly observe and correct the actual displacement by calculating and feeding back the actual displacement in real time.

In the present invention, for example, a work table and a plurality of manipulators are placed on a base which can be moved in a plane in an arbitrary direction and rotated about a straight line on the sample. The movement is basically combined to prevent the processing point, that is, the sample surface and the probe tip from deviating from the field of view of the microscope, and the fine movement of the worktable and manipulator required for fine work can be performed independently at each position. In the micromanipulation device that performs fine work by further setting the number of manipulators to be plural, the work can be performed more reliably by monitoring the sample and the tip of the microprobe simultaneously with a TV camera. It was done. Television cameras for monitoring are installed in two directions, horizontal and vertical, and images of the sample surface and the probe tip from directions 90 degrees apart are captured in a much wider field of view than microscopic images, enabling fine work. Can be assured.

In the image processing, the initial position (reference point) of the tip of the probe is stored in advance in the initial monitor image projected by the television camera, and then the maximum movement position (retreat position) is stored. The operator manually sets the position of the sample and the processing direction from the initial monitor image. The actual fine processing of the details is performed by the operator while observing the microscope image, but the position movement of the probe tip after one operation is completed,
Rather than performing manual operations by the operator while viewing the microscope image, the operator can automatically move to an initial position or a retracted position set in advance in image processing by computer control, and can manually move the specimen sample It is possible to avoid undesired phenomena such as unnecessary contact and accompanying damage of the sample and probe.

Further, in actual work, two points, for example, a start point and an end point, are defined and stored in the visual field of the image observed by the microscope, and the working probe tip is repeatedly moved between these two points by a program. Is performed. In other words, thereby, work by repetition of cutting, drilling, and the like is performed. Furthermore, for the so-called additional machining in which the machining depth of the probe tip is gradually increased, the displacement amount of the working probe tip is used as a variable. Processing as a variable is also performed. Since these operations require particularly high accuracy, in image processing, if these positions are captured on a TV monitor image, stored, and the position is corrected while constantly observing in the actual operation, the operation can be performed. Accuracy is greatly improved. In other words, this is very different from the conventional method of performing these operations on a program. The image position to be stored can be set not only at the start point and the end point, but also at any number. In addition, the movement between the designated points can be performed not only by linear movement but also by an arbitrary route.
In addition, the round-trip route can be changed.

Although the magnification of the microscope image varies depending on the content of the work, the system for fine work according to the present invention generally assumes that the fine work is performed under a microscope field of view of several tens to several thousand times. It is assumed. On the other hand, since the monitor image by the television camera is intended to detect the position of the probe tip and the specimen, a magnification of about 10 times or more is sufficient. The size is much different from the field of view of a microscope. By storing the initial position, the retreat position, or the work position in advance, the probe tip can be moved to a desired position without considering the actual monitor image magnification.

A specific example of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing the structure of an embodiment of the micromanipulator for fine work of the present invention,
FIG. 2 is an enlarged explanatory view of the manipulator portion. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the control system. The manipulator 9 is mounted on a disk-shaped manipulator base 5 and is mounted on the movable base 1 together with the work table 2 on which the specimen 3 is mounted. Manipulator 9
Is mounted on the manipulator drive base 8, and is driven by the manipulator drive base in the X axis, the Y axis, or the Z axis.
It is possible to operate precisely in any direction of the axis. At the tip of the manipulator 9, a needle probe 11 for fine processing is attached. The movable base 1 can arbitrarily move in the X-axis and Y-axis directions, and at the same time, can be tilted and rotated about a virtual straight line BB ′ drawn on the surface of the processed sample. As the movable base 1 is driven, the working sample 3 and the manipulator 9 move simultaneously,
The processing point, ie, the sample surface and the probe tip are prevented from being largely displaced.

Television cameras 12 and 12 'are installed in two directions, horizontal and vertical to the microscope optical axis AA'. As schematically shown in FIG. 3, the image projected by the television camera is displayed on the monitor television and simultaneously sent to the image processing board and subjected to the above-described image processing. The operation table and each manipulator are operated by merging with the operator's instruction signal sent through the panel. If, for example, a point is specified in advance on the image processing board, the same operation can be repeatedly performed the required number of times.

Examples of the microscope used in the present invention include an electron microscope in addition to various high-performance optical microscopes. It is necessary to observe and work all the devices in a high vacuum state. Therefore, it is necessary to make the entire device a high vacuum type. Further, in this case, it is preferable that the members including the specimen working table and the manipulator are made of a nonmagnetic material such as aluminum, phosphor bronze, tungsten, ceramics, and glass.

[0019]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A detailed description will be given of a specific embodiment of a procedure of a fine work from setting of a sample to operation of a probe by a micromanipulator for fine work of the present invention with reference to a schematic explanatory view. There is no particular limitation. FIG. 4 is a process diagram showing the operation procedure.

In an actual fine work experiment, two work points are taught by a mouse using a personal computer in visual information displayed on a monitor television image for an observation image of 200 times of a microscope. That is, after storing the shape of the manipulator needle point, the user points the needle point with the mouse, and then points the start point and the end point of the work. The needle tip is automatically moved to the starting point, and the movement amount for one pixel in each of the vertical and horizontal directions is calculated. Necessary movement information of the manipulator is calculated from the inclination of the straight line connecting the set start point and end point of the work and the movement amount for one pixel described above. The manipulator is moved from the start point to the end point based on this information. By repeating this work, a fine work is performed.

The movement from the set start point to the end point is performed using, for example, a piezo element. However, as this movement is repeated many times, the optical error of the magnification in the microscope observation image and the mechanical error Due to the influence of errors or hysteresis, the point taught on the screen with the mouse and the moving point of the manipulator slightly differ, making it difficult to perform the repetitive work as intended.

Therefore, based on the information from the monitor image, the position of the tip of the manipulator is fed back for each point, a process for correcting the position on the teaching straight line is added, and the two working points are re-taught each time. An experiment was conducted. By adding this processing, the repetitive work between the work points as taught can be performed without any deviation. In other words, it became possible to perform elaborate work without deviation.

[0023]

As described above, according to the micro working apparatus according to the present invention, a microscope sample is captured in the field of view of an optical or electron microscope, and the image is observed under the microscope field while observing the image. In the so-called fine work of processing a body sample using a manipulator, it has become possible to establish the certainty and speed of the operation. Above all, after capturing the specimen in the visual field of the microscope, for example, the reference point (working point) in the repetitive work is captured on a different monitor TV image than the microscope used, and the computer Since control and correction are performed, the workability is extremely accurate, and the state of the work itself can be monitored. In other words, the accuracy of the repetitive work on the body sample, which was relatively inadequate in the past, was achieved for the first time by the present invention. The effect is extremely remarkable in the field of dynamic tracking of a chemical reaction under a microscope or tribology.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing the structure of an embodiment of a micromanipulator for fine work according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged explanatory view of a main part of a manipulator part.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a control system of the micromanipulation device for fine work of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a process diagram showing an embodiment of an operation procedure from setting of a sample to operation of a probe by the micromanipulator for fine work of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1: movable base, 2: specimen sample work table, 3: specimen sample, 4: manipulator base support, 5: manipulator base, 6: manipulator coarse movement stage, 7: manipulator drive unit, 8: manipulator drive table, 9: Manipulator, 10:
Microscope, 11: Probe, 12, 12 ': Television camera, AA': Optical axis of microscope, BB ': Virtual straight line drawn on the surface of the processed sample

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Katsuya Katogi, Inventor 457, Babacho, Hitachiota, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan Mitsui Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Tatsuo Kawakami 457, Babamachi, Hitachiota, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan Mitomo Corporation ( 72) Inventor Hiroshi Eda 1477-1 Ota-cho, Tomobe-cho, Nishi-Ibaraki-gun, Ibaraki (72) Yoshio Yamamoto 27-14-304, Ibukino, Midori-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa-ken (72) Inventor Tomohiko Ishikawa, Ibaraki-cho, Higashi-Ibaraki-gun, Ibaraki 3781-1 Nagaoka F-term in Ibaraki Prefectural Industrial Technology Center (reference) 2H052 AF19 3F059 DA08 DB01 FB17 3F060 BA10

Claims (3)

[Claims] An apparatus for performing fine processing of a specimen under observation while observing a microscope image by immediately calculating and feeding back the displacement amount while constantly observing a probe tip to be operated, thereby setting a microscope. A micromanipulation device for fine work, which absorbs optical and mechanical errors in magnification and performs fine work. 2. The micromanipulator for fine work according to claim 1, wherein the observation of the probe tip is performed by an image of a monitoring television camera installed in the microscope sample chamber. 3. The movement of the work table and the manipulator is basically performed by placing the work table and a plurality of manipulators on a base capable of plane movement in an arbitrary direction and rotation about a straight line on the specimen. To enable the fine movement of the worktable and manipulator to be performed independently at each position, and to monitor and observe the specimen and the tip of the microprobe simultaneously with a TV camera so that the work can be performed more reliably. 2. The micromanipulation device for fine work according to claim 1, wherein: