Provided is a transport device in which a reduction in the size and a reduction in the cost of the entire device are possible. A transport unit which is interposed between a sub-chamber and a first treatment chamber is provided with: a transport bar which transports a sample along a right-left direction in a preliminary sample chamber; a support which supports the transport bar; a case which supports the support so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis intersecting the right-left direction; and a second O-ring which seals an inside of the case. The preliminary sample chamber and a first treatment space can communicate with each other through the inside of the case. The transport bar is made so as to be able to transition between a first state where the transport bar can transport the sample between the preliminary sample chamber and the inside of the case, and a second state where the transport bar can transport the sample between the first treatment space and the inside of the case, by rotation of the support with respect to the case.

Aspects of a sample holder configured for an analytical instrument system, as well as components and methods for reproducible sample motion are described. An apparatus for coupling a specimen with an instrument can include a rear lever arm, a front lever arm, coupled with the rear lever arm, and a sample cradle, coupled with the front lever arm via an S-flexure.

A sample storage container of the present invention includes: a storage container (100) that stores a sample (6) under an atmosphere different from an atmosphere of an outside; a diaphragm (10) through which a charged particle beam passes through or transmits; a sample stage (103) that is arranged inside the storage container (100) and that is capable of moving a relative position of the sample (6) to the diaphragm (10) in a horizontal direction and in a vertical direction under an atmospheric state where the atmospheric states inside the storage container and outside the storage container are different each other; and an operating section (104) that moves the sample stage (103) from an outside of the storage container (100), wherein the sample storage container is set in a state where the sample (6) is stored in a vacuum chamber of a charged particle beam apparatus.

A micro-chamber for inspecting a sample material immersed in a liquid and a method for filling such a chamber are described. The sample chamber includes an inspection volume for holding the sample material, the inspection volume defined by first and second rigid layers, with a hermetic seal between the layers. The inspection volume within the sample chamber is evacuated. Prior to filling the inspection volume, a thin part of at least one of the rigid layers separates the inspection volume from the outside, the thin part being equipped to be punctured. The liquid with immersed sample material is placed upon the thin part and the thin part is then punctured, resulting in sample material entering the inspection volume.

Disclosed are a plasma processing device and a retractable sealing part thereof. The retractable sealing part is arranged in or near a radio-frequency circuit of the plasma processing device. The retractable sealing part includes a bellows assembly having a first end and a second end. Isolation rings are added to an upper part and a lower part of the bellows assembly to weaken longitudinal radio-frequency coupling. Metal sleeves are added to an inner side and an outer side of the bellows assembly to shield transverse radio-frequency coupling. The present disclosure effectively shields radio-frequency coupling on the basis of maintaining the functions of vacuum isolation and extension and retraction of the retractable sealing part, thereby obtaining the stable radio-frequency circuit and etching rate.

A sample cartridge carrier apparatus is coupled with a focused ion beam processing apparatus (FIB processing apparatus). A guide mechanism is configured to guide a series of movements of a sample cartridge holder to allow a sample cartridge to be held by a carrier base on a sub stage. Sub cooling equipment is configured to cool the sample cartridge via the sub stage. A carrier mechanism carries the carrier base between the sub stage and a main stage.

A multi-beam particle microscope having a quickly replaceable particle source, the microscope comprising a double seal-off and column separation module. Using the double seal-off and column separation module, a replacement module with a particle source can be replaced relatively quickly. Potentially sensitive constituent parts of the particle optics of the multi-beam particle microscope can be protected from contamination.