Alto 2500 Cryotransfer for SEM

Cryotransfer for SEM allows imaging and analysis of biological and other hydrated, beam or vacuum sensitive specimens.

Specimen preparation techniques provided with every Alto system include rapid freezing (to preserve hydrated state), vacuum transfer (to prevent contamination), cold fracture (to expose internal microstructure), freeze etching (to clarify non aqueous components) and coating (to allow high resolution surface imaging and X-ray analysis).

Alto 2500 has been specifically designed to allow highest resolution performance together with Field Emission SEMs.

Specification of Alto 2500

Nitrogen cold stage (-185°C to +100°C) and interface to SEM stage

Anticontaminator and lamp assembly

Nitrogen 'heat exchange' dewar and gas feedthroughs to SEM chamber

Ball valve incorporating microswitches plus mechanical interlock and interface to SEM chamber

High vacuum cryo preparation chamber, with integral nitrogen dewar, sample platform and variable temperature facility (-185°C to +100 C)

Cold knife fracturing device

Binocular viewer, x10 and x20 magnification

Cold Magnetron sputter source for high resolution sputter coating (supplied with AuPd and Pt target)

Airlock gate valve with interface for vacuum transfer device

Turbomolecular pump system for cryo preparation chamber with 70 L/sec pump, high and low vacuum gauges

Keypad control unit for vacuum, coating and temperature control, also system logic status

Vacuum transfer device

'2-pot' freezing station for producing nitrogen slush and loading pre-frozen samples

Multi-functional two stage rotary pump, with exhaust filter, flexible pumping lines, foreline trap and ballast reservoir

Power electronics and solenoid valves, mounted in floor standing cabinet

Specimen holders including a range of stubs and rivets

Self pressurising N2 dewar with gas flow regulator for cooling SEM cold stage and gas purging

Spare parts kit

Options

Carbon coater

Additional specimen holders

Rotary knife with micrometer control

Quartz film thickness monitor

Alternative coating targets, e.g. Pt, W and Cr (for microanalysis)

To download the Application Note, "Visualisation of Surfactants using Cryo-electron Microscopy" click here

To download the Application Note, "The use of cryo-SEM to Study nematodes', click here

To download the Application Note, Cryo techniques using low vacuum SEM', click here

To download the Application Note, "Observation of foods using cryo-SEM ', click here

To download the poster: "Low temperature scanning electron microscopy of cryo-planed and ion milled block faces", click here.

To download the Application Note, "Investigations of Cementitious Materials with Low Temperature SEM', click here.

To download the Application Note, "Cryo_SEM imaging with Gatan ALTO tilting, rotating sample holder', click here. .