Patent Number: 055901689
Section: abstract

An X-ray microscope for observing a transmitted X-ray microscopic image of a specimen by irradiating the specimen with X-rays and exciting radiation rays, in which the exciting radiation rays are made incident upon the specimen at a large photon flux in an efficient manner without loss, so that a contrast of the image can be increased. The invention provides a desired relationship between thickness of specimen, wavelength of X-rays and tone resolving power of image fro obtaining a transmitted X-ray microscopic image having an excellent contrast. The invention further proposes optimizations for a photon flux of exciting radiation rays as well am for a timing of irradiation of X-rays and exciting radiation rays. The X-ray microscope can observe particular element contained in particular substance without being affected by the same element contained in other substances which constitute a specimen together with the particular substance by suitably selecting a wavelength of the exciting radiation rays. The invention further propose a secondary electron microscope, in which a specimen is irradiated with X-rays and exciting radiation rays and secondary electrons emitted from the specimen are detected by an electron monochrometer.