3 OPERATION

..................................................................................................................

3 -

1

3.1

Starting the System ...............................................................................................

3 -

2

 

3.1.1

Start-up Confirmation Items .....................................................................

3 -

2

 

3.1.2

Startup Operation.....................................................................................

3 -

2

3.2

Mounting a Specimen ............................................................................................

3 -

4

 

3.2.1 Precautions Concerning Specimen Preparation.......................................

3 -

4

 

3.2.2 Specimen Preparation according to Material............................................

3 -

4

 

3.2.3 Mounting a Specimen on the Type I Stage (Manual Stage) .....................

3 -

5

 

 

3.2.3.1 Setting the Specimen Stand.....................................................

3 -

5

 

 

3.2.3.2 Measuring and Setting the Specimen Height ...........................

3 -

5

 

 

3.2.3.3 Moving the Stage to the Specimen Exchange Position ............

3 -

6

 

 

3.2.3.4 Procedure for Loading a Specimen ..........................................

3 -

7

3.2.4Mounting a Specimen on the Type II Stage (5-axis motor-driven stage) ..3 - 9

 

3.2.4.1 Setting the Specimen Base ......................................................

3

- 9

 

3.2.4.2 Measuring and Setting the Specimen Height ...........................

3 - 10

 

3.2.4.3 Moving the Stage to the Specimen Exchange Position ............

3 - 12

 

3.2.4.4

Loading the Specimen..............................................................

3 - 13

3.3 Applying the Accelerating Voltage .........................................................................

3 - 15

3.3.1 Conditions under which Accelerating Voltage can be Applied ..................

3 - 15

3.3.2 Setting the Accelerating Voltage and Filament Current............................

3 - 15

3.4 Adjusting the Electron Optical System ...................................................................

3

- 18

3.4.1 Setting Parameters for the Electron Optical System ................................

3 - 18

3.4.2

Axial Alignment ........................................................................................

3 - 22

 

3.4.2.1 Items Requiring Axial Alignment...............................................

3 - 22

 

3.4.2.2 Axial Alignment Items in Detail .................................................

3 - 23

3.5 Operation for Image Observation...........................................................................

3

- 31

3.5.1

Selecting a Detector.................................................................................

3 - 31

 

3.5.1.1 Secondary Electron Detector (SE) ...........................................

3 - 32

 

3.5.1.2 Backscattered Electron Detector (BSE) ...................................

3 - 33

 

3.5.1.3

Other Detectors (optional) ......................................................

3 - 37

3.5.2

Selecting Magnification ............................................................................

3 - 38

 

3.5.2.1 Notes on Using the Lowest Magnification and Conducting

 

 

 

 

Observations at a Low Magnification........................................

3 - 39

3.5.3

Selecting Scanning Speed .......................................................................

3 - 42

3.5.4 Image Brightness and Contrast Adjustment .............................................

3 - 44

3.5.5 Focus and Astigmatism Correction ..........................................................

3 - 46

3.5.6 Operation of the Specimen Stage (Type I - Manual Stage) ......................

3 - 52

 

3.5.6.1 Movable Range and Specimen Exchange Position ..................

3 - 52

 

3.5.6.2 Restriction on the Motion of the X and Y-axes .........................

3 - 52

 

3.5.6.3 Allowable Range of Observation and Motion of the Tilt Axis

 

 

 

 

by Specimen Size...................................................................

3 - 52

 

3.5.6.4 Tilt and Z Axis Limitations ........................................................

3 - 54

 

3.5.6.5 Operating the Z-axis (varying the Working Distance [WD]) ......

3 - 55

 

3.5.6.6 Checking the Ranges of T-axis Tilting and Z-axis Motion

 

 

 

 

when Observing a Bulk Specimen............................................

3 - 56

- iv -