Electron microscope, device for measuring electron-photon correlation, and method for measuring electron-photon correlation
Inventors
Sannomiya, Takumi • YANAGIMOTO, Sotatsu • AKIBA, Keiichirou • Saito, Hikaru
Assignees
Interested in licensing this patent?
MTEC can help explore whether this patent might be available for licensing for your application.
Publication Number
US-12609273-B2
Publication Date
2026-04-21
Expiration Date
Abstract
An electron microscope of an embodiment according to the present invention includes an electron gun for irradiating a sample with electrons; an electron detector for detecting the electrons with which the sample is irradiated; a photon detector for detecting photons emitted from the sample when the sample is irradiated with the electrons; and a computing device that computes, for each of the detected photons, a time difference between the time of irradiation of the sample with the electron and the time of emission of the photon from the sample, based on the time of detection of the electron by the electron detector and the time of detection of the photon by the photon detector, and that computes electron-photon time correlation indicating the distribution of the time difference.
Core Innovation
An electron microscope comprises an electron gun for irradiating a sample with electrons, an electron detector for detecting the electrons, and a photon detector for detecting photons emitted from the sample when the sample is irradiated with the electrons. A computing device computes, for each detected photon, a time difference between the time of irradiation of the sample with the electron and the time of emission of the photon from the sample, based on the time of detection of the electron and the time of detection of the photon.
The computing device computes electron-photon time correlation indicating the distribution of the time difference. The computing device includes an identification module that identifies the sample, based on the electron-photon time correlation. The correlation may be analyzed to compute fluorescence lifetime and/or emission transition probability using a curve-based analysis and a 1/e decay criterion, and may be matched against stored parameter values for known substances or organisms using a predetermined threshold and maximum matching selection rule.
The electron microscope may further generate an image by scanning electrons across the sample while irradiating it and using an image generation module based on spatial changes in the electron-photon time correlation. In addition, the correlation measurement may be supported by detector architecture in which the electron detector uses an emitter that reacts to irradiating electrons to emit photons and a photon detection module that detects those photons, providing detection signals to the computing device.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims are 1, 9, and 10. Across these independent claims, the inventive coverage centers on computing electron-photon time correlation from electron and photon detection times and using an identification module to identify the sample based on that time correlation, with claim 1 additionally reciting the electron microscope structure and claim 9 additionally reciting a device implementation.
Computing electron-photon time correlation from electron and photon detection times for sample identification
The computing device computes, for each detected photon, a time difference between the time of irradiation of the sample with the electron and the time of emission of the photon from the sample, based on the time of detection of the electron and the time of detection of the photon, and computes electron-photon time correlation indicating the distribution of the time difference; and the computing device includes an identification module that identifies the sample, based on the electron-photon time correlation.
Electron microscope with electron gun, electron detector, photon detector, and computing device for time correlation identification
An electron microscope comprising an electron gun for irradiating a sample with electrons; an electron detector for detecting the electrons; a photon detector for detecting photons emitted from the sample when the sample is irradiated with the electrons; and a computing device that computes the electron-photon time difference for each detected photon and computes electron-photon time correlation indicating the distribution of the time difference, wherein the computing device includes an identification module that identifies the sample based on the electron-photon time correlation.
Device for measuring electron-photon correlation using electron detector, photon detector, and identification module
A device comprising an electron detector for detecting electrons radiated from an electron gun of an electron microscope onto a sample; a photon detector for detecting photons emitted from the sample when the sample is irradiated with the electrons; and a computing device that computes, for each detected photon, a time difference between the time of irradiation and the time of emission based on the time of detection of the electron and the time of detection of the photon, computes electron-photon time correlation indicating the distribution of the time difference, wherein the computing device includes an identification module that identifies the sample, based on the electron-photon time correlation.
Method for measuring electron-photon correlation and identifying the sample based on the computed time correlation
A method comprising irradiating a sample with electrons; detecting the electrons with which the sample is irradiated; detecting photons emitted from the sample when the sample is irradiated with the electrons; computing, for each detected photon, a time difference between the time of irradiation and the time of emission based on the time of detection of the electron and the time of detection of the photon, and computing electron-photon time correlation indicating the distribution of the time difference; and identifying the sample, based on the electron-photon time correlation.
The independent claims consistently require computing a time difference for each detected photon using electron and photon detection times, deriving electron-photon time correlation that indicates the distribution of those time differences, and identifying the sample using an identification module based on that electron-photon time correlation. Claim 1 further specifies the electron microscope components (electron gun, electron detector, photon detector, and computing device), and claim 9 specifies a corresponding device configuration for measuring the electron-photon correlation.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Identifying a sample based on electron-photon time correlation.
Computing fluorescence lifetime and emission transition probability using a curve-based analysis and a 1/e decay criterion.
Generating an image by scanning electrons across a sample and using spatial changes in the electron-photon time correlation.
Example measurement of nanodiamond with a YSO:Ce emitter, with fluorescence lifetime and asymmetry reported from a fitted fluorescence lifetime and time-correlation analysis.
Interested in licensing this patent?