Specimen box for electron microscope capable of observing general specimen and live cell

Abstract

A specimen box for an electron microscope capable of observing a general specimen or a live cell is formed of a housing. The housing includes a receiving chamber formed therein and at least one view hole formed on each of a top side thereof and a bottom side thereof and communicating with the receiving chamber and coaxially aligned with the other. The distance between a bottom end of the view hole located on the top side of the housing and a top end of the view hole located on the bottom side of the housing is smaller than 50 μm. The housing is ultra-thin to enable penetration of the electron beam therethrough even though a liquid specimen is injected into the housing. A general specimen or a live cell can be put into the housing for the microscopic observation under the electron microscope.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention in operation.

FIG. 4 is another schematic view of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention in operation.

FIGS. 5(A)-5(C) each are sectional view, illustrating different shapes of the view hole according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a third preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of a fifth preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the fifth preferred embodiment of the present invention in operation.

Claims

1. A specimen box for an electron microscope capable of observing a general specimen or a live cell, comprising a housing, said housing having a receiving chamber formed therein, at least one view hole formed at each of a top side thereof and a bottom side thereof, said view holes communicating with said receiving chamber and being coaxially aligned, wherein a distance between a bottom end of said view hole located on the top side of said housing and a top end of said view hole located on the bottom side of said housing is smaller than 50 μm.

2. The specimen box as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said view holes has a diameter of 5-500 μm.

3. The specimen box as defined in claim 2, wherein said housing includes a base shell and a cover shell.

4. The specimen box as defined in claim 3, wherein said cover and base shells are connected by at least one catch.

5. The specimen box as defined in claim 3, wherein at least one of said view holes is sealed with a film.

6. The specimen box as defined in claim 3, wherein each of said view holes comprises a thin annular piece formed at an end abutting said receiving chamber, said annular piece having a through hole which diameter is smaller than that of said view hole.

7. The specimen box as defined in claim 6, wherein said annular piece is applied thereto by hydrophilic treatment at an end surface thereof abutting said receiving chamber, said through hole is applied thereto by hydrophilic treatment at a sidewall thereof.

8. The specimen box as defined in claim 3, wherein each of said view holes is cylindrical or taper-shaped or annularly stepped.

9. The specimen box as defined in claim 3, wherein each of said view holes is applied thereto by hydrophobic or super-hydrophobic treatment at a sidewall thereof.

10. The specimen box as defined in claim 3, wherein said housing is applied thereto by hydrophilic treatment at a sidewall thereof.

11. The specimen box as defined in claim 3, wherein said housing is made by microlithography or laser micromachining or mechanical micromachining.

12. The specimen box as defined in claim 3, wherein said housing comprises an inlet formed at one side thereof.

13. A specimen box for an electron microscope capable of observing a general specimen or a live cell, comprising a housing, said housing having at least one spacer formed therein for partitioning an inner space thereof into a receiving chamber and at least one gas chamber, at least one view hole formed at each of a top side and a bottom side of said receiving chamber, and at least one gas aperture formed at a top side and a bottom side of said gas chamber, each of said view holes communicating with said receiving chamber and coaxially aligned with the other, wherein a distance between a bottom end of said view hole located at the top side of said receiving chamber and a top end of said view hole located at the bottom side of said receiving chamber is smaller than 50 μm, said gas chamber encloses at least one of said view holes, and said gas apertures and said view holes are coaxially aligned.

14. The specimen box as defined in claim 13, wherein a distance between an end of said gas aperture located close to said gas chamber and an end of said view hole located closest to said gas aperture and close to said gas chamber is defined 5-5000 μm.

15. The specimen box as defined in claim 13, wherein said housing comprises an inlet and a gas inlet formed at one side said receiving chamber and at one side of said gas chamber respectively.