Abstract Electron microscope stage is equipped with remotely controlled stepping devices; cycling signals cause presentation of successive fields, whose image is fed by fiber optics to a television image tube, such as an image orthicon, or an intensified vidicon. Image seen by orthicon is reproduced on oilfilm light-valve. Coherent collimated light is fed through oilfilm to a transform lens, located its own focal length from oil film; transform filter is transparent only to transform of particular shape to be identified, and is located at back focal plane of transform lens. Imaging lens is located with its front focal plane at filter; viewing screen at back focal plane of imaging lens shows field corresponding to microscope field, with light spots showing where objects matching filter in shape and size appear in field. Automatic spot counting plus automatic indexing of stage provide automatic field count.
Means for automatically determining the relative abundance of objects of a given shape in an electron microscope sample, comprising: a. a controllably indexing mechanical stage for holding a sample in an electron microscope, connected to b. cycling means which control the mechanical stage to index in succession adjacent portions of the sample for presentation as magnified optical images by the electron microscope; c. optical-electrical transducing means for converting a said magnified image into electrical video signals; d. electrical-optical transducing means for converting the said electrical video signals into a phase-differential transparency representative of the said magnified image; e. a source of coherent illumination directed through the said phase-differential transparency, and thence through f. a first Fourier lens, g. a spatial filter adapted to pass light distribution corresponding to the said given shape, and h. a second Fourier lens, to i. an image plane lying in the field of observation of j. a spot counter.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
154 words
Means for automatically determining the relative abundance of objects of a given shape in an electron microscope sample, comprising: a. a controllably indexing mechanical stage for holding a sample in an electron microscope, connected to b. cycling means which control the mechanical stage to index in succession adjacent portions of the sample for presentation as magnified optical images by the electron microscope; c. optical-electrical transducing means for converting a said magnified image into electrical video signals; d. electrical-optical transducing means for converting the said electrical video signals into a phase-differential transparency representative of the said magnified image; e. a source of coherent illumination directed through the said phase-differential transparency, and thence through f. a first Fourier lens, g. a spatial filter adapted to pass light distribution corresponding to the said given shape, and h. a second Fourier lens, to i. an image plane lying in the field of observation of j. a spot counter.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The device claimed in claim 1 in which the optical-electRical transducing means (c) comprise limiter means to limit the amplitude of the video signals produced thereby to two different values.