SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE ASSEMBLY AND METHOD FOR USING SAME

摘要

An assembly of a scanning electron microscope and an air bearing (8), comprising a compact scanning electron microscope provided with a manipulation arm (9) having a flexible connection (10) the said air bearing. The air bearing is provided with vacuum pumping ducts (13) for maintaining the vacuum between the air bearing and the sample (7) to be inspected or treated. The assembly may be used in conjunction with an e-beam recording machine, a sample preparation station, or a polishing machine, for the inspection of metallic surface integrity or small cracks in coatings and the like and; also in the study of biological specimens.