Adjusting device for corpuscular-beam apparatus

Claim 2

In a corpuscular-beam apparatus, and in said apparatus a source of electrons and a specimen to be investigated, a supporting surface situated in a plane normal to the radiation axis of the apparatus, a specimen table slidably engaging said surface for movement thereon, adjusting means located adjacent said surface for adjusting said table thereon with respect to said axis, and clutch means coacting with said adjusting means and said table for transmitting movement from said adjusting means to said table only when said clutch means is in an engaged position where said clutch means provides a play-free transmission of movement from said adjusting means to said table, said clutch means having a disengaged position in which said table is completely out of operative connection with said adjusting means through said clutch means and remaining in the disengaged position after adjusting of the table by the adjusting means, so that adjusting movement of said table can only be brought about when said clutch means is in said engaged position thereof, said clutch means remaining disengaged during investigation of a specimen.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1 and wherein said clutch means includes a movable clutch plate of ring-shaped configuration permanently in operative connection with said adjusting means and having a clutch surface directed away from and extending parallel to said supporting surface on which said table is slidable, said table having directed towards said supporting surface and said clutch surface of said clutch plate a complementary clutch surface parallel to said supporting surface and engaged by said clutch surface of said plate when said clutch means is in said engaged position, and clutch-actuating means coacting with said clutch means for dIsplacing the latter perpendicularly to said supporting surface between a disengaged position where said clutch surfaces are spaced from each other and an engaged position where said clutch surfaces engage each other, so that only in the latter engaged position can movement be transmitted from said adjusting means to said table.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 2 and wherein said table and said supporting surface define between the latter and said clutch surface of said table a free space into which said clutch plate extends, said free space having in the direction of the radiation axis a dimension sufficiently great to provide for movement of said plate to and from a position where said clutch surface thereof engages said clutch surface of said table to provide for engagement and disengagement of said clutch means.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 2 and wherein said clutch-actuating means includes a spring-and-lever assembly having springs operatively connected with said clutch plate for urging the latter to one of its positions and levers adapted to be actuated from the exterior of the apparatus for bringing about movement of the clutch plate to the other of its positions.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 4 and wherein the springs and levers of said spring-and-lever assembly coact with said clutch plate for guiding the latter perpendicularly with respect to said supporting surface during movement of said clutch plate between said engaged and disengaged positions of said clutch means.

Claim 7

The combination of claim 5 and wherein the springs of said assembly act on said clutch plate to urge the latter into engaged position of said clutch means where said clutch surfaces engage each other.

Claim 8

The combination of claim 4 wherein said springs of said assembly are connected between said clutch plate and the levers of said assembly and have with respect to said clutch plate and levers a relationship providing for guiding of said clutch plate perpendicularly to said supporting surface during movement of said plate to bring about said engaged and disengaged positions of said clutch means.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 2 and wherein a spring means acts on said table for urging the latter perpendicularly toward said supporting surface.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 2 and wherein said clutch plate of ring-shaped configuration has an extension projecting radially from its outer periphery, said adjusting means including three adjusting rods located substantially in a plane parallel to said supporting surface with one of said rods permanently engaging said extension of said clutch plate and with the other two rods being perpendicular to each other and permanently engaging the periphery of said plate, one of said other two rods being parallel to said one rod which engages said extension, said adjusting means further including a pair of mutually perpendicular actuating plungers respectively terminating in free ends engaging ends of said other two rods distant from said clutch plate and coacting with said other two rods for moving the latter axially in opposed mutually perpendicular directions, a stationary component engaging the end of said one rod which is distant from said extension, and spring means coacting with said clutch plate for maintaining the latter permanently in engagement with said rods and for maintaining said other two rods permanently in engagement with said plungers and said one rod permanently in engagement with said stationary component.

Claim 11

The combination of claim 1 and wherein said table and supporting surface have the same coefficient of thermal expansion.

Claim 12

In a corpuscular-beam apparatus, and in said apparatus a source of electrons and a specimen to be investigated, a supporting surface normal to the radiation axis of the apparatus, a component slidably engaging said surface for adjustable movement perpendicularly to said axis, adjusting means for adjusting said component, and clutch means having an engaged position for transmitting movement between said adjUsting means and said component, said clutch means having a disengaged position preventing any transmission of movement from said adjusting means through said clutch means to said component and remaining in the disengaged position after adjusting of the component by the adjusting means so that the latter can be adjusted with respect to said axis only when said clutch means is in said engaged position thereof, said clutch means remaining disengaged during investigation of a specimen.

Claim 13

In a corpuscular-beam apparatus, and in said apparatus a source of electrons and a specimen to be investigated, a supporting surface normal to the radiation axis of the apparatus, a component slidably engaging said surface for adjustable movement perpendicularly to said axis, adjusting means for adjusting said component, and clutch means having an engaged position for transmitting movement between said adjUsting means and said component, said clutch means having a disengaged position preventing any transmission of movement from said adjusting means through said clutch means to said component and remaining in the disengaged position after adjusting of the component by the adjusting means so that the latter can be adjusted with respect to said axis only when said clutch means is in said engaged position thereof, said clutch means remaining disengaged during investigation of a specimen.

Claim 14

The combination of claim 11 and wherein said component is a diaphragm.