JPH1074477A - Method of carrying sample - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To simultaneously perform the surface treatment of a plurality of samples controlled at a fixed temperature, and take out and carry them one by one by pressing the samples set on a pedestal provided on a tray onto the pedestal with a prescribed surface pressure within a vacuum testing device. SOLUTION: A sample set in a shallow groove of the same form as a sample 41 provided on the pedestal 20 of a sample carrying tray 10 so as not to be moved is fixed with a prescribed surface pressure by the rotation of a pressing tool 31 threaded in the inner surface. Thus, since a prescribed thermal conductivity is provided between the tray 10 and the sample 41, the temperature of the sample 41 is controlled in test. An L-shaped groove 50 provided on the pressing tool 31 is used when the pressing tool 31 is removed by a removing tool 60. The tip part of a sample holding tool 70 is inserted to a stepped part provided on the sample 41, whereby the sample 41 is taken out one by one with a minute force. The form of the pedestal 20 is designed so that a sample 42 differed in from can be treated on the same tray 10.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of transporting a sample in a vacuum test apparatus, for example, performing surface treatment on a plurality of samples in a vacuum while controlling the temperature of the samples to a constant value, and placing the samples in a vacuum atmosphere. The present invention relates to a sample transfer method suitable for a vacuum test apparatus for taking out one by one and performing a surface analysis.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the field of test equipment and semiconductor manufacturing equipment for tribological research, techniques for observing material surfaces at an atomic level have been required, and many devices such as an X-ray photoelectron spectrometer and an Auger electron spectrometer have been developed. Observation technology is provided and is exerting its power. However, these analyzers cannot observe the surface unless they are in a high vacuum, and a vacuum equivalent to 10 to ⁹ Pa is required to obtain sufficient results. Further, when analyzing a large number of samples, it is necessary to frequently perform sample exchange accompanied by evacuation, which greatly affects the efficiency of the analysis operation.

[0003] Therefore, for example, an ion beam analyzer (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-87710) has been proposed to reduce the effect of evacuation, which requires a long time, and to increase the efficiency of analysis work. FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view showing a schematic configuration of the ion beam analyzer. In this method, a sample holder 1 is set on a side surface of a sample holding plate 2, and the sample holding plate 2 is rotated by a pulse motor 3 to take out and transfer a plurality of samples one by one in a vacuum.

[0004]

In the above-described structure, the surface treatment of a plurality of samples controlled at a predetermined constant temperature in a vacuum device is performed simultaneously, and then the surface is transferred to an analyzer for analysis. Processing cannot be performed simultaneously. Further, in the ion beam analyzer described in the preceding paragraph, since it is not necessary to control the temperature of the sample, it is not necessary to monitor the pressing pressure required for controlling the temperature of the sample.

In view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, the present invention can simultaneously perform surface treatment of a plurality of samples controlled at a predetermined constant temperature in a vacuum apparatus, and can easily apply a predetermined surface pressure when fixing the samples. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for transferring a sample which can be obtained and can remove samples one by one in a vacuum.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, in a method of transporting a sample in a vacuum during a test in a vacuum test apparatus, a tray having a pedestal for mounting a plurality of samples, a sample having a predetermined surface It is composed of a pressing tool that presses against the pedestal with pressure, and can simultaneously perform surface treatment of multiple samples controlled at a predetermined constant temperature in a vacuum device, fix the sample at a predetermined surface pressure, and fix one sample in a vacuum. It is characterized in that it can be taken out and transported one by one.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the embodiments shown in FIGS.

The tray for realizing the sample transfer method of the present embodiment includes a sample transfer tray 10 having a plurality of sample mounting pedestals 20, a pressing tool 31 for fixing a sample at a constant surface pressure, and a pressing device. Rotate the tool 31 and remove the tool 60
And a sample gripper 70 for taking out a sample.

The structure of the tray of this embodiment will be described.

The sample transport tray 10 has a pedestal 20 for setting a sample 41, and the sample 41 is set on the pedestal 20 for setting a sample. The pedestal 20 has a shallow groove having the same shape as the sample, and the sample 41 is not moved by the groove. The pressing tool 31 has a thread cut on the inner surface,
The sample 41 is fixed at a predetermined surface pressure by rotating the pressing tool 31. In order to control the temperature of the sample during the test, it is necessary to obtain a predetermined thermal conductivity between the sample transport tray 10 and the sample 41, and the sample is pressed with a constant surface pressure. The pressing tool 31 has an L-shaped groove 50.
0 is used when the pressing tool 31 is removed by the removing tool 60. In addition, a step is provided on the sample 41 so that the sample 41 placed on the pedestal 20 can be easily taken out by the sample gripper 70. By inserting the distal end of the sample holder 70 into this step, the sample 41 can be taken out with a small force. Further, in the present embodiment, the shape of the pedestal 20 is devised so that samples 42 having different shapes can be handled by the same sample transfer tray 10 as shown in FIG. The sample 42
Is used, the sample 42 is fixed using the pressing tool 32.

The operation of removing a sample according to this embodiment will be described.

The sample 41 is fixed to the sample transport tray 10 in the atmosphere by the pressing tool 31. After that, the sample transport tray 10
Is carried into a vacuum, and an irradiation test including temperature control of the sample 41 is performed. After the test is completed, the sample 41 is removed from the sample transport tray 10 in a vacuum to put the sample 41 into the analyzer. This is because the sample size that can be put into the analyzer is limited, and the sample transport tray 10 cannot be put into the analyzer as it is. First, the removal tool 60 is inserted into the groove 50, the pressing tool 31 is rotated, and the pressing tool 31 is pulled out. At this time, since the removal tool 60 is fixed to the pressing tool 31 by the groove 50, there is no need to drop the pressing tool 31. Thereafter, the side surface of the sample 41 is gripped by the sample gripper 70, and the sample 41 is removed.

The effect of this embodiment will be described.

According to the above-described sample transfer method, the samples can be fixed at a constant surface pressure and the samples can be removed one by one in a vacuum.

[0015]

As described above, according to the present invention, in a method of transporting a sample in a vacuum during a test in a vacuum test apparatus, a tray having a pedestal for mounting a plurality of samples, And a pressing tool that presses the sample against the pedestal with the surface pressure of the sample.The surface treatment of a plurality of samples controlled at a predetermined constant temperature can be performed simultaneously in a vacuum device. It is possible to take out and transport one by one.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a view showing an embodiment of a sample transport tray of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a detailed sectional view of a sample mounting portion of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a detailed sectional view of a sample mounting portion having a different shape according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of an ion beam analyzer.

[Explanation of symbols]

1: sample holder, 2: sample holding board, 3: pulse motor,
10: Sample transport tray, 20: Pedestal, 31-32: Pressing tool, 41-42: Sample, 50: Groove, 60: Removal tool, 70: Sample holding tool.

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a method of transporting a sample in a vacuum during a test in a vacuum test apparatus, a tray having a pedestal for mounting a plurality of samples and a pressing tool for pressing the sample against the pedestal at a predetermined surface pressure. A method for transporting a sample, comprising: fixing a sample at a predetermined surface pressure; and removing samples one by one in a vacuum.