JP2005017657A - Base for microscope - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a base for a microscope realizing the high efficiency of microscopic observation and the prevention of the infiltration of dust into a black box. <P>SOLUTION: The base 1 for the microscope is provided with an air blowout port 24 extended in a horizontal direction above a door 19a so as to form an air curtain in a duct 22, and an air supply source 27 is controlled so that air quantity may be larger at the time of opening the door 19a than at the time of closing the door 19a. When the door 19a is closed at the time of observation, the specified quantity of air at specified temperature continues blowing out from the blowout port 24 to the black box 19 so as to keep temperature in the box 19 constant. Meanwhile, since the temperature in the box 19 must be kept constant even when the door 19a is opened so as to confirm or change an object to be measured, the air quantity from the blowout port 24 is made large. Thus, outside air hardly flows in the box 19 from a door opening part 25, and dirt and dust hardly infiltrate in the box 19 when the door 19a is opened. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a microscope stage for use in mounting a microscope.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, there is JP-A-2002-207171 as a technology in such a field. The microscope stage described in this publication includes an anti-vibration table and a base disposed on the anti-vibration table, and an optical microscope for enlarging and observing a minute region is mounted on the base. Such an optical microscope can be moved in the horizontal direction by the XY stage, and can be moved in the vertical direction by the Z stage. Furthermore, a dark box surrounding the optical microscope is fixed to the vibration isolator, and this dark box is provided with a door for enabling replacement of an object to be measured installed below the microscope. And in order to stabilize the temperature in a dark box, it has an air-conditioning mechanism.
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2002-207171 [Patent Document 2]
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 63-10943 [0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional microscope table described above, when checking or replacing the object to be measured, air in the dark box flows out from the door opening every time the door is opened, and the temperature in the dark box may fluctuate rapidly. there were. Therefore, even after the door is closed to start observation, it may take a long time for the temperature in the dark box to stabilize, which has been a cause of reducing the efficiency of observation. In addition, if dust or dust enters the dark box by opening and closing the door, there is a risk of adverse effects on precision observation performed in the dark box.
[0005]
In particular, an object of the present invention is to provide a microscope stage capable of improving the efficiency of microscope observation and preventing dust from entering into a dark box.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The microscope stage according to the present invention is a microscope stage for mounting a microscope, a dark box that houses the microscope, a door that can be opened and closed with respect to a door opening provided in the dark box, and provided inside the dark box, An air outlet that forms an air curtain that extends horizontally above the door and closes the door opening, a duct having an air outlet at the end, and an air supply source that supplies air into the duct The door opening / closing detection means for detecting the opening / closing of the door and a control unit for controlling the air supply source so that the air volume when the door is opened is larger than the air volume when the door is closed.
[0007]
In this microscope stage, the door can be opened and closed for confirmation and replacement of the object to be measured. In such a dark box having a door, air in the dark box flows out from the door opening or outside air flows every time the door is opened, so that the temperature in the dark box may be rapidly changed. Therefore, an air outlet is provided in the duct that extends horizontally above the door to create an air curtain, and the air supply source is controlled so that the air volume when the door is opened is greater than the air volume when the door is closed. To maintain the environment inside the dark box. That is, when the door is closed at the time of observation, air having a predetermined temperature and a predetermined air volume continues to be blown out into the dark box from the air outlet, and an air conditioning function is maintained to keep the temperature and humidity in the dark box constant. Furthermore, even when the door is opened for checking or exchanging the object to be measured, it is necessary to keep the temperature in the dark room constant. Therefore, in the present invention, the air volume from the air outlet is increased. Thereby, it becomes difficult for outside air to flow into the dark box from the door opening, and a temperature change in the dark box can be suppressed. As a result, the temperature in the dark box can be stabilized in a short time even after the door is closed to resume observation. Moreover, the use of an air curtain makes it difficult for dust and dirt to enter the dark box when the door is opened.
[0008]
In addition, it is preferable that the air supply source is disposed away from the dark box. By adopting such a configuration, it is difficult to propagate the vibration generated from the air supply source to the microscope, and the influence on precision measurement using the microscope can be reduced.
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of a microscope stand according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0010]
As shown in FIG.1 and FIG.2, the microscope stand 1 has the mount frame 2 which can move on a floor surface. The gantry 2 includes a fixed base 5 having four legs 3 that are landed on the floor and support the microscope stand 1 from below, and a movable base that is disposed inside the fixed base 5 and is movable in the vertical direction. 6 and a guide rail 7 extending in the vertical direction and connecting the fixed base 5 and the movable base 6 to each other. A caster 9 is fixed to the leg portion 8 of the movable base 6. A jack portion 11 that moves up and down by the rotation of the handle 10 is fixed to the movable base 6, and the jack portion 11 is a screw jack in which the screw shaft 11 a moves up and down by the rotation of the worm gear that follows the rotation of the handle 10. Further, the horizontal frame 12 of the fixed base 5 is provided with a jack receiving portion 12a, and the screw shaft 11a and the jack receiving portion 12a are screwed. The guide rail 7 is preferably provided not only on the left and right legs 3 on the jack part 11 side but also on the opposite legs 3 from the viewpoint of holding the fixed base 5 on which a heavy object such as a microscope is placed. In order to provide the guide rail on the leg portion 3 facing the leg portion 3 on the jack portion 11 side, the L-shaped member 6b is attached to the movable table 6 so that the movable table 6 and the fixed table 5 are in contact with each other via the L-shaped member 6b. What is necessary is just to fix to a predetermined position. As will be described later, when the projecting column 20 is provided on the fixed base 5 of the gantry 2, the fixed base 5 is held by three guide rails without providing the guide rail on the leg portion.
[0011]
For example, when the handle 10 is continuously rotated forward so that the screw shaft 11a gradually rises with the leg 3 of the fixed base 5 landing on the floor surface, the movable base 6 side starts to descend, and the movable base 6 Six casters 9 land on the floor. Thereafter, when the handle 10 is further rotated, the fixed base 5 side starts to rise, the leg 3 of the fixed base 5 moves away from the floor surface, and the microscope base 1 is moved to a predetermined place (place where the semiconductor tester TE is installed) by a caster 9. ) Can move freely.
[0012]
On the other hand, if the handle 10 is reversed so that the screw shaft 11a is gradually lowered after the microscope stage 1 is moved to a predetermined location, the fixed base 5 side starts to descend, and the legs 3 of the fixed base 5 are moved to the floor surface. Land on. Thereafter, when the handle 10 is further rotated, the movable table 6 starts to rise, and the movable table 6 side is separated from the floor surface, so that the microscope table 1 is firmly fixed on the floor surface by the fixed table 5. Become.
[0013]
Furthermore, the microscope stage 1 has a microscope mounting part 13 supported by the gantry 2 as shown in FIGS. The microscope mounting unit 13 includes a microscope fixing plate 15 on which a screw fixing of the microscope A for enlarging and observing a minute region is scheduled, and a base plate 16 disposed below the microscope fixing plate 15. The base plate 16 is disposed so as to face the top plate 17 fixed to the top of the gantry 2. Further, in order to prevent the vibration of the floor and the gantry 2 from being transmitted to the microscope A, four vibration isolating portions 18 are disposed between the microscope fixing plate 15 and the base plate 16, and each vibration isolating portion 18 includes the base plate 16. The microscope fixing plate 15 is held so as to be placed on the top of the vibration isolator 18. By adopting such an anti-vibration unit 18, the vibration propagated from the gantry 2 side during sample observation with the microscope A can be absorbed by the anti-vibration unit 18, making it difficult to transmit the vibration to the microscope A. The influence of precision measurement is reduced. As such an anti-vibration part 18, what contains an air spring, an anti-vibration rubber, etc. can be used.
[0014]
Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the microscope stage 1 has a dark box 19 for enclosing the microscope A having the objective lens A1. The dark box 19 is fixed to the base plate 16. In order to keep the temperature inside the dark box 19 constant, air is circulated and supplied from the outside into the dark box 19. In addition, in order to enable the exchange of the sample in the dark box 19, a laterally open door 19 a is attached to the dark box 19 so as to be freely opened and closed.
[0015]
In addition, the inspection object (semiconductor sample) fixed for inspection on the head portion H of the semiconductor tester TE indicated by a two-dot chain line needs to be arranged directly under the microscope A in order to enable microscopic observation. Therefore, the microscope stage 1 has a structure in which the head H can be inserted. For example, the fixed base 5 of the gantry 2 is provided with a strut 20 that can be vertically expanded and contracted, and this strut 20 avoids a collision with the cable connection terminal K provided on the side surface of the head H. When the microscope stage 1 is moved, it is removed from the fixed stage 5.
[0016]
Here, as shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, the dark box 19 is sealed with a heat insulating material so as to be hardly affected by the outside air temperature, and the rectangular door opening 25 provided in the dark box 19 A side-sliding door 19a that can be opened and closed is attached. Further, a duct 22 is fixed to the ceiling surface of the inner wall surface of the dark box 19, one end of the duct 22 is connected to an air introduction portion 23 provided in the dark box 19, and the other end of the duct 22 is located inside the dark box 19. An air outlet 24 is formed. The air outlet 24 is opened downward above the door 19a and extends in the horizontal direction over the entire width of the door 19a. Thereby, an air curtain that closes the rectangular door opening 25 can be created. The surfaces of the inside of the dark box, the duct 22 and the air outlet 24 are preferably black so as not to reflect light.
[0017]
In addition, an air discharge portion 26 is provided on the side wall of the dark box 19 in order to enable air circulation in the dark box 19. An air supply source 27 including a motor M and an air pump B is installed at a location separated from the dark box 19, and an exhaust port 27 a of the air supply source 27 is connected to the air introduction part 23 of the dark box 19 through a flexible pipe 28. The air inlet 27 b of the air supply source 27 is connected to the air discharge part 26 of the dark box 19 through the flexible pipe 29. Thus, since the dark box 19 and the air supply source 27 are separated from each other via the flexible tubes 28 and 29, vibration generated from the air supply source 27 is difficult to propagate to the dark box 19 and further to the microscope A. The influence on observation at high resolution using can be reduced.
[0018]
Furthermore, in order to improve the efficiency of microscopic observation and to prevent dust from entering the dark box 19, it is necessary to increase the air volume when the door 19a is opened than when the door 19a is closed. Therefore, the air supply source 27 includes a control unit 30 that changes the number of rotations of the motor M, and the control unit 30 changes the discharge amount of the air pump B, and accordingly, the air volume ejected from the air outlet 24 is changed. Change. Further, the control unit 30 is electrically connected to door opening / closing detection means 31 that detects opening / closing of the door 19a. Therefore, when the open state of the door 19a is detected by the door opening / closing detection means 31, the number of rotations of the motor M is increased by a signal from the control unit 30, and the air volume from the air outlet 24 is increased. On the other hand, when the closed state of the door 19a is detected by the door opening / closing detection means 31, the number of rotations of the motor M is reduced by a signal from the control unit 30 and the air volume from the air outlet 24 is reduced (see FIG. 8). The door opening / closing detection means 31 includes a simple on / off switch and a proximity switch.
[0019]
For example, when the door 19a is closed during microscopic observation of a semiconductor sample, it is necessary to keep the temperature in the dark box 19 at 23 to 24 ° C., and air with a constant temperature and a constant air volume is generated. It continues to flow in the dark box 19. On the other hand, when the door 19a is opened for checking or exchanging the semiconductor sample, it is necessary to maintain the temperature in the dark room 19 at around 23 to 24 ° C. Therefore, the air volume from the air outlet 24 is increased to create an air curtain, so that the air in the dark box 19 hardly flows out from the opening 25 of the door 19a, and the outside air hardly flows into the dark box 19. As a result, the temperature drift of the microscope and the sample stage due to the temperature change in the dark box 19 can be suppressed, and even after the door 19a is closed to resume observation, the temperature in the dark box 19 is reduced. It can be stabilized in a short time. Moreover, the adoption of the air curtain makes it difficult for dust and dirt to enter the dark box 19 when the door 19a is opened. As described above, when the door 19a is opened, it is possible to maintain an internal environment that prevents outside air from entering and prevents dust and dirt from entering, and when the door 19a is closed, air conditioning functions such as air cleaning and temperature / humidity control are performed. It is.
[0020]
The microscope stage according to the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the lifting jack portion 11 is a manual type provided with the handle 10, but may be an electric type. Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the door 19a was a horizontal slide type, it may be a vertical slide type, or what opened symmetrically from the center to both right and left sides (a double door). Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the microscope stage 1 is an upright type, but various types of microscope stages such as an inverted type in which a microscope is arranged below the inspection object and observation is performed from below can be applied. it can.
[0021]
【The invention's effect】
Since the microscope stage according to the present invention is configured as described above, the following effects are obtained. That is, in a microscope stand for mounting a microscope, a dark box that houses the microscope, a door that can be opened and closed with respect to a door opening provided in the dark box, and provided in the dark box, and horizontally above the door The air outlet that forms an air curtain that extends to the door and closes the door opening, the duct that has the air outlet at the end, the air supply source that supplies air into the duct, and the opening and closing of the door The door opening / closing detection means and the control unit that controls the air supply source so that the air volume when the door is opened is larger than the air volume when the door is closed. Enables prevention of dust intrusion. Furthermore, not only air conditioning for maintaining the temperature and humidity inside the dark box, but also the cleanliness inside the dark box can be maintained. In addition, the air curtain formed in the door opening maintains the temperature and humidity inside the dark box and cleanliness even when the door is opened, thus saving energy.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a microscope stand according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which a microscope stage according to the present invention is assembled to a semiconductor tester.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which an optical microscope is assembled to a microscope stage.
4 is a front view of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a side view of FIG. 3;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a dark box applied to the microscope stage according to the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a dark box showing an open state of a door.
FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a dark box showing a closed state of the door.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Microscope stand, 19 ... Dark box, 19a ... Door, 22 ... Duct, 24 ... Air outlet, 25 ... Door opening, 27 ... Air supply source, 30 ... Control part, 31 ... Door opening / closing detection means, A ... Microscope .

Claims (2)

In a microscope stand for mounting a microscope,
A dark box containing the microscope;
A door that can be opened and closed with respect to a door opening provided in the dark box;
An air outlet that is provided inside the dark box and forms an air curtain that flows from one side to the other side in the door opening,
A duct having the air outlet at its end;
An air supply source for supplying air into the duct;
Door opening and closing detection means for detecting opening and closing of the door;
A microscope stage comprising: a control unit that controls the air supply source so that the air volume when the door is opened is larger than the air volume when the door is closed. The microscope stage according to claim 1, wherein the air supply source is disposed apart from the dark box.

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