An image forming method includes: arranging a sample between a first main surface of an insulating thin film and a counter electrode, measuring an impedance value by inputting an AC potential signal to the counter electrode, scanning a physical beam while focusing and irradiating a conductive thin film given to cover a second main surface of the insulating thin film with the physical beam to lower an insulation property of the insulating thin film directly below an irradiation position, guiding the AC potential signal to the irradiation position, and forming an image from the impedance value corresponding to the irradiation position.

A specimen holder includes a specimen shaft unit having a specimen and/or specimen mesh setting unit; an outer tubular unit capable of housing the specimen holder shaft unit; a cooling unit; and a thermoelectric element placed close to the cooling unit. In certain examples, the thermoelectric element may use at least one effect selected from the Peltier effect and the Thomson effect.

A carrier device and a carrier kit are provided. The carrier kit includes the carrier device and a specimen carrier. The carrier device carries the specimen carrier and is configured to be fixedly disposed on a specimen holder. The specimen carrier has two observation grooves and a containing channel that is formed therein, and the two observation grooves are configured to expose a part of the containing channel The carrier device has a containing groove that is recessed on a side of a main body and an observation port. When the specimen carrier is disposed in the containing groove, one of the observation grooves is exposed from the main body through the observation port. At least one limiting element is configured to limit a range of movement of the specimen carrier disposed in the containing groove relative to the main body.

A sample holder tip for use in transmission electron microscopy (TEM) or scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for performing in-situ experiments is described which facilitates in situ analysis of air-sensitive samples and allows physical manipulation of the sample. This includes, but is not limited to translation, rotation, electrical biasing, and heating/cooling for one or more individual cradles. The sample holder tip incorporates a compact design which eases sample loading and enables direct linkages between consecutive cradles, allowing a single tilt actuator to rotate each cradle around its respective eucentric position. Each of the connecting wires incorporates one or more bends or kinks which enable conductive access to the sample holder tip while also preserving the ability to also retract/extend the tip and tilt individual cradles with at least two degrees of freedom.

A sample holder HL capable of efficiently applying a pressure to an observation surface of a sample SAM is provided. The sample holder HL includes a fixed electrode 4b, a movable electrode 5, and a pressure applying member 6 attached to the movable electrode 5 and having a function to move the movable electrode 5 in a horizontal direction. When the sample SAM is held between a side surface of the fixed electrode 4b and a side surface of the movable electrode 5, an upper surface of the sample SAM is located within a range of a width of the pressure applying member 6 at a position where the pressure applying member 6 is in contact with the movable electrode 5 in the Z direction.

The present disclosure relates to a liquid chip for an electron microscope including a lower chip, an upper chip, and a waterway space part for supplying a liquid sample, and may attach a transmissive thin film layer made of a graphene material having an excellent bulging resistance property to a plurality of holes formed in a waterway space part to increase the thickness of a support not operating as a transmissive window to be larger than the conventional one, thereby supplying the liquid sample more stably and minimizing the loss of a spatial resolution and also suppressing the bulging phenomenon of the transmissive window. To this end, according to the present disclosure, the lower chip includes a lower substrate formed with a lower cavity; a lower support disposed on the upper surface of the lower substrate, and formed with a plurality of lower holes in the lower cavity region; a spacer located on both ends of the lower support of the lower hole; and a lower transmissive thin film layer attached on the lower support so as to cover the lower hole, the upper chip includes an upper substrate formed with an upper cavity; an upper support disposed on the upper surface of the upper substrate, and formed with a plurality of upper holes in the upper cavity region; and an upper transmissive thin film layer having a constant bulging resistance property attached on the upper support so as to cover the plurality of upper holes, the waterway space part is formed by laminating the upper support disposed on the upper surface of the upper substrate on the spacer of the lower chip, and the transmissive thin film layer is located inside the waterway space part.

A system is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system includes a scanning electron microscopy sub-system including an electron source configured to generate an electron beam and an electron-optical assembly including one or more electron-optical elements configured to direct the electron beam to the specimen. In another embodiment, the system includes one or more grounding paths coupled to the specimen, the one or more grounding paths configured to generate one or more transmission signals based on one or more received electron beam-induced transmission currents. In another embodiment, the system includes a controller configured to: generate control signals configured to cause the scanning electron microscopy sub-system to scan the portion of the electron beam across a portion of the specimen; receive the transmission signals via the one or more grounding paths; and generate transmission current images based on the transmission signals.

A TEM sample holder enables simultaneous cooling and RF irradiation of a sample. The sample is suspended in a hole that penetrates through a sample stage formed by a dielectric plate having a lower metallic ground layer and an upper metallic lead. The sample stage is supported by an evacuated hollow tube extending from a cryogenic chamber, such as a liquid nitrogen or helium Dewar. A coaxial conductor extends from an ambient connector through the cryogenic chamber and hollow tube to the sample stage, a center conductor and surrounding metallic shield thereof being in thermal and electrical communication with the metallic lead and metallic ground layer respectively of the sample stage, and the metallic shield being is in direct thermal communication with the cryogenic chamber. The coaxial conductor thereby enables simultaneous cooling and RF irradiation of the sample during TEM measurements. Embodiments include a temperature sensor and heater.

A sample holder tip for use in transmission electron microscopy (TEM) or scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for performing in-situ experiments is described which facilitates in situ analysis of air-sensitive samples and allows physical manipulation of the sample. This includes, but is not limited to translation, rotation, electrical biasing, and heating/cooling for one or more individual cradles. The sample holder tip incorporates a compact design which eases sample loading and enables direct linkages between consecutive cradles, allowing a single tilt actuator to rotate each cradle around its respective eucentric position. Each of the connecting wires incorporates one or more bends or kinks which enable conductive access to the sample holder tip while also preserving the ability to also retract/extend the tip and tilt individual cradles with at least two degrees of freedom.

A carrier device and a carrier kit are provided. The carrier kit includes the carrier device and a specimen carrier. The carrier device carries the specimen carrier and is configured to be fixedly disposed on a specimen holder. The specimen carrier has two observation grooves and a containing channel that is formed therein, and the two observation grooves are configured to expose a part of the containing channel. The carrier device has a containing groove that is recessed on a side of a main body and an observation port. When the specimen carrier is disposed in the containing groove, one of the observation grooves is exposed from the main body through the observation port. At least one limiting element is configured to limit a range of movement of the specimen carrier disposed in the containing groove relative to the main body.