US4700071A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of recording and reproducing an electron microscope image
Assignee: Fujifilm Holdings Corp
•
Filing: 1986-01-14
•
Granted: 1987-10-13
•
Expires: 2006-01-14
Abstract
Abstract A two-dimensional image sensor such as a stimulable phosphor sheet is exposed under vacuum to an electron beam that has passed through a specimen to cause the two-dimensional image sensor to store the energy of the electron beam, then stimulating energy is applied to the two-dimensional image sensor for discharging light therefrom which represents the stored energy of the electron beam, and the light discharged from the two-dimensional image sensor is photoelectrically detected to produce an image signal. A reference image signal is also produced in a similar manner by exposing the two-dimensional image sensor to an electron beam that has not passed through the specimen. One of the first-mentioned image signal and the reference image signal is subtracted from the other per pixel to generate a difference signal, from which an electron microscope image of the specimen is reproduced.
Inventors
- 👤 Nobufumi Mori
- 👤 Yuichi Hosoi
- 👤 Kenji Takahashi
- 👤 Junji Miyahara
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 20:06
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/02; H01J37/22; H01J37/224; G; G01; G01T; G01T1/00; G01T1/16; G01T1/20; G01T1/2012; G01T1/2014; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/40; H04N1/407; H04N1/4076
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
196 words
A method of recording and reproducing an image produced by an electron microscope, comprising the steps of: (i) exposing a two-dimensional image sensor under vacuum to an electron beam that has passed through a specimen to cause said two-dimensional image sensor to store the energy of said electron beam; (ii) then, applying stimulating energy to said two-dimensional image sensor for discharging light therefrom which represents the stored energy of the electron beam; (iii) photoelectrically detecting the light discharged from said two-dimensional image sensor to produce an image signal; (iv) exposing said two-dimensional image sensor under vacuum to an electron beam that has not passed through said specimen to cause said two-dimensional image sensor to store the energy of said electron beam; (v) thereafter, applying stimulating energy to said two-dimensional image sensor for discharging light therefrom which represents the stored energy of the electron beam; (vi) photoelectrically detecting the light discharged from said two-dimensional image sensor to produce a reference image signal; (vii) effecting an arithmetic operation on said first-mentioned image signal and said reference image signal per pixel to generate a signal; and (viii) reproducing an electron microscope image of said specimen from said last-mentioned signal.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
196 words
A method of recording and reproducing an image produced by an electron microscope, comprising the steps of: (i) exposing a two-dimensional image sensor under vacuum to an electron beam that has passed through a specimen to cause said two-dimensional image sensor to store the energy of said electron beam; (ii) then, applying stimulating energy to said two-dimensional image sensor for discharging light therefrom which represents the stored energy of the electron beam; (iii) photoelectrically detecting the light discharged from said two-dimensional image sensor to produce an image signal; (iv) exposing said two-dimensional image sensor under vacuum to an electron beam that has not passed through said specimen to cause said two-dimensional image sensor to store the energy of said electron beam; (v) thereafter, applying stimulating energy to said two-dimensional image sensor for discharging light therefrom which represents the stored energy of the electron beam; (vi) photoelectrically detecting the light discharged from said two-dimensional image sensor to produce a reference image signal; (vii) effecting an arithmetic operation on said first-mentioned image signal and said reference image signal per pixel to generate a signal; and (viii) reproducing an electron microscope image of said specimen from said last-mentioned signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the light discharged from said two-dimensional image sensor is photoelectrically detected while said two-dimensional image sensor is placed under vacuum.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said two-dimensional sensor comprises a stimulable phosphor sheet for discharging stimulated emission as said light respresenting the stored energy of the electron beam in response to exposure to said stimulating energy.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said stimulating energy is light.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said stimulating energy is heat.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said arithmetic operation is effecting by subtracting one of said first-mentioned image signal and said reference image signal from the other to produce a difference signal as said last-mentioned signal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 6, wherein said first-mentioned image signal and said reference image signal are converted respectively into logarithmic digital image signals before said arithmetic operation is effected.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 6, wherein said first-mentioned image signal and said reference image signal are stored before said arithmetic operation is effected thereon.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 6, wherein said first-mentioned image signal and said reference image signal are weighted before said arithmetic operation is effected thereon.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
59 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said steps of exposing the two-dimensional image sensor to an electron beam that has not passed through the specimen, thereafter applying stimulating energy to said sensor and detecting the light discharged therefrom to produce a reference image signal are conducted only once for a plurality of steps of recording and reproducing images.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 10 wherein said reference image signal obtained is memorized and repeatedly read out for said arithmetic operation each time the image is recorded and reproduced.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3859527A
Cited
US4206349A
Cited
US4258264A
Cited
JPS5547720A
Cited
JPS5547719A
Cited
US4315318A
Cited
US4276473A
Cited
US4380702A
Cited
US4400619A
Cited
US4387428A
Cited
US4527061A
Cited
JPS58121874A
Cited
EP0166922A1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-10-12 | 1991-04-13 | 1991-10-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-10-12 | 1995-04-13 | 1995-10-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-10-12 | 1999-04-13 | 1999-10-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |