To automatically perform the operation from carry-in to carry-out while smoothly adjusting a focal point and smoothly correcting a carrying arm trajectory by irradiating the light from a side of a sample even in front of a vacuum sample chamber on the way of the carrying of the sample with a carrying arm, and confirming the thickness of the sample with an optical device.
Rough positioning of a glass board 8 to be carried out of a stocker 22 by a carrying arm 26G is previously performed by a centering mechanism 24 before setting the glass board 8 on a pallet inside of a vacuum container. A condition that the carrying arm 26b and the glass board 8 supported by the carrying arm do not interfere with other mechanism part on a point of shape is maintained, and the glass board 8 achieves a sample thickness detecting unit 25, and the strip monochromatic light is input from a side surface in parallel with a surface of the glass board 8, and received by a CCD element light receiver arranged at a corresponding position of the other side surface, and thickness of a sample is measured by using a voltage value or a current value. Thickness of the sample can be measured without generating a contact, and adhesion of the dust to the surface of the glass board 8 is thereby prevented, and drawing is performed. Since this measurement is performed before carrying a holder 7 to a preparatory air discharge chamber 9, sample exchanging time can be shortened.
MIYANO ICHIRO
TSUNODA MASAHIRO
KONUKI KATSUNORI
