JPH0426418B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a tilt-adjustable sample stage suitable for adjusting the tilt angle.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems]

An ultrasonic microscope apparatus requires a mechanism for adjusting the inclination angle of the sample stage and making the sample observation surface perpendicular to the lens optical axis.

For example, the conventional tilt (angle) adjustable sample stage
As shown in the figure, there is one disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application No. 57-194060.

The conventional sample stage mentioned above has a goniometer 1 for the X direction.
and a Y-direction goniometer 2 are stacked one on top of the other. The X-direction goniometer 1 is divided into a fixed part 3 and a moving part 4, and by manually rotating the feed screw 5, the moving part moves along the cylindrical curved part 6 of the fixed part 3 as shown by arrow A. 4 slides, and the sample 7 on the moving part 4 can be tilted in the X direction.
Further, the Y-direction goniometer 2 has the same structure as the X-direction goniometer 1, and the inclination angle in the Y-direction can be adjusted by manually rotating the feed screw 8.

The ultrasonic focusing lens 9 facing directly above the sample 7 on the sample stage 1 is attached to a vibrator 11 via a support rod 10, and is moved in the X direction by the vibrator 11. Ru. Further, the vibrator 11 is attached to a table 13 that is moved in the Y direction by a drive device 12. Therefore, the sample 7 placed on the sample stage 1 is scanned by the ultrasonic focusing lens 9 in the X direction and the Y direction.

By the way, since the ultrasonic waves are focused and transmitted and received along with the above-mentioned scanning, if the sample stage 1 is tilted,
Even for sample surfaces with the same characteristics, the conditions in which the waves are transmitted and received are different, making it impossible to obtain accurate ultrasound information. For this reason, it is necessary to adjust the inclination angle of the sample stage 1 so that the surface of the sample stage 1 is perpendicular to the optical axis of the focusing lens 9 so that it can always be maintained at the same distance during scanning.

Since it is time-consuming to perform the above adjustment manually, it is desirable to be able to perform the adjustment using a drive mechanism such as a motor.

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, the structure for driving it had to be complicated. In other words, as the inclination in the Y direction is adjusted by rotating the feed screw 8, the position of the feed screw 5 of the X-direction goniometer 1 in the Y direction gradually shifts. When connected,
As the feed screw 5 moves in the Y direction, the motor must also be moved. Therefore, there was a drawback that the price was also high.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a tilt-adjustable sample stage that has a simple structure and can be driven using a motor or the like.

[Summary of the invention]

In the present invention, an inclined end surface is provided on the upper end surface, and a rotation transmission mechanism is provided on the outer periphery of the side surface, and each can be independently rotationally driven by the rotation transmission member that engages with the rotation transmission mechanism. Then, first and second cylinders are provided whose engagement position, etc. of the other does not change, and which contact the inclined end surface and transmit only the vertical movement accompanying the rotation of the inclined end surface to the sample stage above the inclined end surface without being rotated. By providing a sample stand support member to hold the sample stand, and further providing an elastic support means to stably hold the sample stand using an expansion joint, we have realized a tilt-adjustable sample stand that can be widely applied to both manual and motor-based inclination adjustments. There is.

[Embodiments of the invention]

Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

Figures 1 to 4 relate to an embodiment of the present invention, with Figure 1 showing a plan view of the embodiment with the sample stage removed, and Figure 2 showing a front view of the embodiment with a portion cut away. FIG. 3 shows a partially cutaway side view of one embodiment, and FIG. 4 shows a side view of the first cylinder.

The tilt-adjustable sample stage 21 of one embodiment has a base 22
, a first cylinder 24 attached to the upper support 23, a second cylinder 25 rotatably provided on the upper part of the first cylinder 24, and both cylinders 2.
A sliding support member 26 that engages with two locations on each of the vertically inclined upper end surfaces of 4 and 25, and a sample stage 27 provided on the top of the sliding support member 26.
and micromotors 28 and 29 that rotate the cylinders 24 and 25, respectively.

The support body 23 has a shaft protruding downward at the center thereof, and is rotatable while being fitted into the recess of the base 22. A ring-shaped groove 23a that is concentric with the axis is formed on the upper surface of the support 23, and the lower end of the first cylinder 24 is fitted and accommodated in this groove 23a. 24 is rotatable.

The first cylinder 24 has, for example, a ring-shaped notch on the outside of its upper end, and a ring-shaped second cylinder 25 is fitted therein so that it can rotate independently of the first cylinder 24. be. Both cylinders 24 and 25 mentioned above
A worm gear 24 is installed on the outer periphery of the worm gear as a rotation transmission mechanism.
These worm gears 24a, 25a mesh with worms 31, 32, which serve as rotation transmission members, which are attached to the rotation shafts of micromotors 28, 29 as rotational driving means. , 29, the first and second cylinders 24, 25 can be rotated independently.

The upper ends of both the cylinders 24 and 25 are, for example, inclined end surfaces 24b and 2 notched at an inclined angle that is deviated from a plane perpendicular to the central axis (indicated by the symbol Z) of each cylinder.
5b, and FIG. 4 shows, for example, the first cylinder 24.
The case is shown below.

Inclined end surfaces 24b, 25 of each of the cylinders 24, 25
Sliding members 33, 3 are installed at two opposing locations in b.
3; 34, 34 are in contact with each other to form a plate-shaped sliding support member 2
6 is placed thereon, and this support member 26 is connected to the support body 23 in such a way that the center thereof is elastically supported by an expansion joint 36 that is brought into contact with a sliding member 35 . The support member 26 is connected to the sample stage 2 on the upper part of the support member 26.
7 and the sliding members 33, 33 with these weights;
The first and second cylinders 24, 2 via 34, 34
It is pressed against each inclined end surface 24b, 25b of No.5. The expansion joint 36 is expandable and retractable, and when the lower ends of the sliding members 33, 33; 34, 34 abut against the inclined end surfaces 24b, 25b of the cylinders 24, 25 and move up and down, the expansion joint 36 expands and contracts. Sliding member 3
The support member 26 is supported with good stability through the support member 5.

The above sliding members 33, 33; 34, 34 and 35
A recess is formed at the lower end (tip) of each, and a rotatable metal ball is embedded in each recess. Therefore, the lower ends (metal balls inserted therein) of the sliding members 33, 33; 34, 34 slide into the cylinder 2.
Even when cylinders 4 and 25 are rotated, since the metal balls rotate, almost no friction acts on the sliding members 33, 33; 34, 34, so they are dragged by the rotation of the cylinders 24, 25. This prevents the support member 26 from rotating (the same applies to the central sliding member 35).
The vertical movement can be transmitted to the support member 26 or the sample stage 27.

When the cylinders 24, 25 are rotated, the sliding members 33, 33; 34, 34 move up and down, and the expansion joint 36 is made of soft synthetic resin, rubber material, etc. so that it can expand and contract following this movement. It is formed of.

The support plate 26 has a sample stage 27 placed thereon fixed thereto by, for example, screws at its corners.

The operation of one embodiment configured in this manner will be described below.

When used as a sample stage of an ultrasonic microscope, if the upper sample stage 27 in one embodiment is inclined, for example, by rotating the micro motor 28, a worm that meshes with the worm of this micro motor 28 can be set. A first cylinder 24 with a gear 24a rotates about a central axis. When the first cylinder 24 is rotated, the sliding members 33, 33 that come into contact with the inclined end surface 24b are not rotated in the direction of rotation of the cylinder 24, but move upward or downward at that position. (The metal ball is rotated.) Along with this,
The expansion joint 36 connects the support plate 2 that is expanded or contracted.
Center part of 6 (don't let it float)
It will support with good stability. In this way, the inclination (displacement) in the direction connecting the sliding members 33, 33 (in the (for example, Y) direction parallel to the surface of the base 22) in the direction perpendicular to the central axis Z direction of the cylinder 24 on the support plate 26 is ) can be adjusted.

Similarly, by rotationally driving the micromotor 29, the second cylinder 25, which is provided with a worm gear 25a that engages with a worm 32 attached to the rotating shaft of this micromotor 29, is rotationally driven, and the second cylinder 25 is rotationally driven. The first cylinder 24 in the 22nd plane
sliding members 33, 33 that come into contact with the inclined end surface 24a of
It is possible to adjust the deviation from the parallel direction in the (for example, X) direction orthogonal to the .

By rotating both the micromotors 28 and 29, the sample stage 27 can be made parallel to the surface of the base 22. By placing the sample on the sample stage 27 in this state, the ultrasonic focusing lens is scanned two-dimensionally on the sample while transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves through the ultrasonic focusing lens. It is possible to display an ultrasonic acoustic image that faithfully reflects the acoustic characteristics of the sample.

Note that in the above embodiment, the first cylinder 24
Although the lower end is rotatable on the support 23, it can also be fixed to the support 23 so that it can rotate together. (In this case, the expansion joint 36 will also rotate together with the support body 23.)
The micromotors 28 and 29 do not have to be provided in orthogonal directions, but can be provided in parallel directions or in other directions.

Although the above embodiment does not include a means for adjusting the height of the sample stage 27, the present invention also includes a means for adjusting the height using a motor, gears, etc.

Also, when adjusting the inclination, micro motor 2
In addition to manually turning on and off the drive switches 8 and 29, an inclination detection means is provided to control the drive of the micro motors 28 and 29 to automatically set the state without inclination. You can also do it. As this means, for example, patent application No. 58-207143
The methods proposed in No. 1 can be used.
(This also shows the adjustment means in the height direction.) It is clear that the adjustment can be made manually without using the micro motors 28, 29, etc.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, each of the upper ends is provided with an inclined end surface, and the outer peripheral surface is provided with a rotation transmission mechanism, so that they can be rotated independently of each other, and the rotation of one side causes the rotational drive position of the other side to be changed. A first and second cylinder that is not subject to changes such as the Since the means is provided, it is possible to realize an inclination-adjustable sample stage suitable not only for adjusting the inclination angle manually but also for adjusting the inclination angle by a rotary drive means such as a motor.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figures 1 to 4 relate to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 1 is a plan view of the embodiment with the sample stage removed, and Figure 2 is a front view of the embodiment with a portion cut away. , FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway side view of one embodiment, FIG. 4 is a side view of the first cylinder, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a conventional example. 21... Inclination adjustment sample stage, 22... Base, 2
3...Support, 24, 25...Cylinder, 24a, 2
5a... Worm gear, 24b, 25b... Inclined end surface, 26... (sliding) support member, 27... Sample stage, 28, 29... Micromotor, 31, 32
...Worm, 36...Expansion joint.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A first device provided with an inclined end surface different from a plane perpendicular to the central axis, rotatable independently of each other, and each having a rotation transmission mechanism formed on its outer peripheral surface.
and a second cylinder, a rotation transmission member that engages with each of the rotation transmission mechanisms and is rotatable, and a sample stage support member that holds the sample stage via an intervening member that abuts the inclined end surface. , an elastic support means for elastically supporting the sample stand on the center axis of both cylinders, etc.;