C1010 Airlock System
There are many benefits of specimen cooling in the SEM:

Beam sensitive materials, such as polymers and geological samples, are stabilised, even under the high beam currents used for microanalysis.

Low temperature phases and the performance of semiconductor and superconductor materials can be studied.

Semiconductor materials can also be analysed using techniques such as cathodoluminescence ( CL ) or EBIC. Cooling, preferably to helium temperatures, can increase signal intensity and will greatly improve spectroscopic discrimination.

Gatan is a technology leader in cryogenic systems for SEM, including anti-contaminators and airlock options.

SEM Cold stages - applications
For beam-sensitive materials, e.g. polymers, semiconductors, minerals; also to prevent migration during x-ray microanalysis

Temperature dependent studies esp. of electrical/electronic materials e.g. insulators, semiconductors and superconductors

Enhanced imaging and spectroscopy, esp. for cathodoluminescence (CL).

Cryogenic temperatures allow radiative recombination to dominate over non-radiative processes, leading to large increases in light output, spectral lines becoming sharper and electro-optical transitions being revealed.

NB for biological and hydrated, liquid or other vacuum-sensitive materials, or to observe internal microstructure by freeze fracture, a cryotransfer system is required.

C1010 airlock system
Upgrade SEMs for rapid specimen transfer and preservation of chamber vacuum.

The basic C1010 system includes:

Airlock chamber, with SEM interfaces

Ball valve with microswitches for interlocking SEM high voltage and detector

Solenoid operated mechanical interlock,

Linear transfer facility

Pump outlet and Pirani gauge

Flexible stainless steel pumping line,

Isolation valve and air admit valve,

Airlock controller

In addition to the basic system a rotary pump e.g. CR302 is required and if a Gatan cooling stage is not supplied, the C1011 stage interface is required.