Apparatus for recording and reproducing image produced by an electron microscope including an optical filter and a deflecting element

Claim 1

An apparatus for recording and reproducing an image of a specimen produced by an electron microscope, comprising: (i) a two-dimensional image sensor for storing the energy of an electron beam having passed through the specimen; (ii) stimulating means for scanning said two-dimensional image sensor with stimulating energy to discharge the stored electron beam energy as light from the two-dimensional image sensor; (iii) a photoelectric transducer for photoelectrically detecting the light discharged from said two-dimensional image sensor; and (iv) erasing means for applying erasing energy to said two-dimensional image sensor to discharge energy remaining thereon after the light has been photoelectrically detected; further comprising an optical filter for cutting off light having a wavelength in the wavelength region of the stimulating energy, and a light shutter openable when the light discharged from said two-dimensional image sensor is photoelectrically detected by said photoelectric transducer and closable when the remaining energy is discharged from said two-dimensional image sensor by said erase means, said optical filter and said light shutter being interposed between said two-dimensional image sensor and said photoelectric transducer remotely from the side of said two-dimensional image sensor which is scanned with said stimulating energy.

Claim 2

An apparatus for recording and reproducing an image of a specimen produced by an electron microscope, comprising: (i) a two-dimensional image sensor for storing the energy of an electron beam having passed through the specimen; (ii) stimulating means for scanning said two-dimensional image sensor with stimulating energy to discharge the stored electron beam energy as light from the two-dimensional image sensor; (iii) a photoelectric transducer for photoelectrically detecting the light discharged from said two-dimensional image sensor; and (iv) erasing means for applying erasing energy to said two-dimensional image sensor to discharge energy remaining thereon after the light has been photoelectrically detected; further comprising an optical filter for cutting off light having a wavelength in the wavelength region of the stimulating energy, and a light shutter openable when the light discharged from said two-dimensional image sensor is photoelectrically detected by said photoelectric transducer and closable when the remaining energy is discharged from said two-dimensional image sensor by said erase means, said optical filter and said light shutter being interposed between said two-dimensional image sensor and said photoelectric transducer remotely from the side of said two-dimensional image sensor which is scanned with said stimulating energy.

Claim 3

An apparatus for recording and reproducing an image of a specimen produced by an electron microscope, comprising: (i) a two-dimensional image sensor for storing the energy of an electron beam having passed through the specimen; (ii) stimulating means for scanning said two-dimensional image sensor with stimulating energy to discharge the stored electron beam energy as light from the two-dimensional image sensor; (iii) a photoelectric transducer for photoelectrically detecting the light discharged from said tow-dimensional image sensor; and (iv) erasing means for applying erasing energy to said two-dimensional image sensor to discharge energy remaining thereon after the light has been photoelectrically detected; wherein said stimulating means comprises a deflecting element for deflecting the stimulating energy toward said two-dimensional image sensor; and wherein said deflecting element is fixed.

Claim 4

An apparatus for recording and reproducing an image of a specimen produced by an electron microscope, comprising: (i) a two-dimensional image sensor for storing the energy of an electron beam having passed through the specimen; (ii) stimulating means for scanning said two-dimensional image sensor with stimulating energy to discharge the stored electron beam energy as light from the two-dimensional image sensor; (iii) a photoelectric transducer for photoelectrically detecting the light discharged from said tow-dimensional image sensor; and (iv) erasing means for applying erasing energy to said two-dimensional image sensor to discharge energy remaining thereon after the light has been photoelectrically detected; wherein said stimulating means comprises a deflecting element for deflecting the stimulating energy toward said two-dimensional image sensor; and wherein said deflecting element is fixed.

Claim 5

An apparatus for recording and reproducing an image of a specimen produced by an electron microscope, comprising: (i) a two-dimensional image sensor for storing the energy of an electron beam having passed through the specimen; (ii) stimulating means for scanning said two-dimensional image sensor with stimulating energy to discharge the stored electron beam energy as light from the two-dimensional image sensor; (iii) a photoelectric transducer for photoelectrically detecting the light discharged from said two-dimensional image sensor; and (iv) erasing means for applying erasing energy to said two-dimensional image sensor to discharge energy remaining thereon after the light has been photoelectrically detected; wherein said stimulating means comprises a deflecting element for deflecting the stimulating energy toward said two-dimensional image sensor; and wherein said deflecting element is movable between a first position in which the deflecting element is substantially opposite the center of said two-dimensional image sensor and directs the stimulating energy toward said two-dimensional image sensor and a second position in which the deflecting element is retracted out of the path of the electron beam toward said two-dimensional image sensor.

Claim 6

An apparatus for recording and reproducing an image of a specimen produced by an electron microscope, comprising: (i) a two-dimensional image sensor for storing the energy of an electron beam having passed through the specimen; (ii) stimulating means for scanning said two-dimensional image sensor with stimulating energy to discharge the stored electron beam energy as light from the two-dimensional image sensor; (iii) a photoelectric transducer for photoelectrically detecting the light discharged from said two-dimensional image sensor; and (iv) erasing means for applying erasing energy to said two-dimensional image sensor to discharge energy remaining thereon after the light has been photoelectrically detected; wherein said stimulating means comprises a deflecting element for deflecting the stimulating energy toward said two-dimensional image sensor; and wherein said deflecting element is movable between a first position in which the deflecting element is substantially opposite the center of said two-dimensional image sensor and directs the stimulating energy toward said two-dimensional image sensor and a second position in which the deflecting element is retracted out of the path of the electron beam toward said two-dimensional image sensor.

Claim 7

An apparatus for recording and reproducing an image of a specimen produced by an electron microscope, comprising: (i) a two-dimensional image sensor for storing the energy of an electron beam having passed through the specimen; (ii) stimulating means for scanning said two-dimensional image sensor with stimulating energy to discharge the stored electron beam energy as light from the two-dimensional image sensor; (iii) a photoelectric transducer for photoelectrically detecting the light discharged from said two-dimensional image sensor; and (iv) erasing means for applying erasing energy to said two-dimensional image sensor to discharge energy remaining thereon after the light has been photoelectrically detected; wherein said two-dimensional image sensor is movable between a recording position in which the two-dimensional image sensor lies substantially perpendicularly to the axis of the electron beam and a read-out position in which the twodimensional image sensor lies obliquely to the axis of the electron beam, said stimulating means including a deflecting element for deflecting the stimulating energy toward said two-dimensional image sensor, said deflecting element being positioned to be substantially opposite the center of said two-dimensional image sensor in said read-out position and out of the path of said electron beam.

Claim 8

An apparatus for recording and reproducing an image of a specimen produced by an electron microscope, comprising: (i) a two-dimensional image sensor for storing the energy of an electron beam having passed through the specimen; (ii) stimulating means for scanning said two-dimensional image sensor with stimulating energy to discharge the stored electron beam energy as light from the two-dimensional image sensor; (iii) a photoelectric transducer for photoelectrically detecting the light discharged from said two-dimensional image sensor; and (iv) erasing means for applying erasing energy to said two-dimensional image sensor to discharge energy remaining thereon after the light has been photoelectrically detected; wherein said two-dimensional image sensor is movable between a recording position in which the two-dimensional image sensor lies substantially perpendicularly to the axis of the electron beam and a read-out position in which the twodimensional image sensor lies obliquely to the axis of the electron beam, said stimulating means including a deflecting element for deflecting the stimulating energy toward said two-dimensional image sensor, said deflecting element being positioned to be substantially opposite the center of said two-dimensional image sensor in said read-out position and out of the path of said electron beam.

Claim 9

An apparatus for recording and reproducing an image of a specimen produced by an electron microscope, comprising: (i) a two-dimensional image sensor for storing the energy of an electron beam having passed through the specimen; (ii) stimulating means for scanning said two-dimensional image sensor with stimulating energy to discharge the stored electron beam energy as light from the two-dimensional image sensor; (iv) a photoelectric transducer for photoelectrically detecting the light discharge from said two-dimensional image sensor; and (v) erasing means for applying erasing energy to said two-dimensional image sensor to discharge energy remaining thereon after the light has been photoelectrically detected; wherein said two-dimensional image sensor is fixed obliquely to the axis of the electron beam, said stimulating means including a deflecting element for deflecting the stimulating energy toward said two-dimensional image sensor, said deflecting element being positioned to be substantially opposite the center of said two-dimensional image sensor and out of the path of said electron beam, further including a signal processor for converting an output signal from said photoelectric transducer indicative of the electron microscope image on said two-dimensional image sensor lying obliquely to the axis of the electron beam into a signal representing an electron microscope image on the image formation plane of the electron microscope which lies perpendicularly to the axis of the electron beam.

Claim 10

An apparatus for recording and reproducing an image of a specimen produced by an electron microscope, comprising: (i) a two-dimensional image sensor for storing the energy of an electron beam having passed through the specimen; (ii) stimulating means for scanning said two-dimensional image sensor with stimulating energy to discharge the stored electron beam energy as light from the two-dimensional image sensor; (iv) a photoelectric transducer for photoelectrically detecting the light discharge from said two-dimensional image sensor; and (v) erasing means for applying erasing energy to said two-dimensional image sensor to discharge energy remaining thereon after the light has been photoelectrically detected; wherein said two-dimensional image sensor is fixed obliquely to the axis of the electron beam, said stimulating means including a deflecting element for deflecting the stimulating energy toward said two-dimensional image sensor, said deflecting element being positioned to be substantially opposite the center of said two-dimensional image sensor and out of the path of said electron beam, further including a signal processor for converting an output signal from said photoelectric transducer indicative of the electron microscope image on said two-dimensional image sensor lying obliquely to the axis of the electron beam into a signal representing an electron microscope image on the image formation plane of the electron microscope which lies perpendicularly to the axis of the electron beam.