The invention relates to a device (100) for reducing ice contamination of a sample (S) in a chamber (210) of a focused ion beam milling apparatus (200), wherein the device (100) comprises a body (110) configured to be cooled to cryogenic temperatures, wherein the body (110) comprises an aperture (111), which is configured such that an ion beam (I) generated by an ion source (220) can pass from the ion source (220) through the aperture (111) to the sample (S), wherein the body (110) comprises a recess (112), wherein said aperture (111) is arranged in the recess (112).

The invention further relates to a focused ion beam milling apparatus (200) and a method for focused ion beam milling of a sample (S).

The present disclosure relates to a cryogenic apparatus (300, 400, 500), comprising: at least one first temperature change mechanism (310, 410) connected to a sample stage (20) and configured to change a temperature at the sample stage (20); at least one second temperature change mechanism (320, 420, 520, 522) different from the at least one first temperature change mechanism (310, 410), wherein the at least one second temperature change mechanism (320, 420, 520, 522) is connected to the sample stage (20) and configured to change the temperature at the sample stage (20); and a controller. The controller is configured to: operate the at least one first temperature change mechanism (310, 410) in a first temperature range (A); operate the at least one second temperature change mechanism (320, 420, 520, 522) in a second temperature range (B) different from the first temperature range (A); and operate both the at least one first temperature change mechanism (310, 410) and the at least one second temperature change mechanism (320, 420, 520, 522) in a third temperature range (C) between the first temperature range (A) and the second temperature range (B).

The present disclosure relates to a cryogenic apparatus (300, 400, 500), comprising: at least one first temperature change mechanism (310, 410) connected to a sample stage (20) and configured to change a temperature at the sample stage (20); at least one second temperature change mechanism (320, 420, 520, 522) different from the at least one first temperature change mechanism (310, 410), wherein the at least one second temperature change mechanism (320, 420, 520, 522) is connected to the sample stage (20) and configured to change the temperature at the sample stage (20); and a controller. The controller is configured to: operate the at least one first temperature change mechanism (310, 410) in a first temperature range (A); operate the at least one second temperature change mechanism (320, 420, 520, 522) in a second temperature range (B) different from the first temperature range (A); and operate both the at least one first temperature change mechanism (310, 410) and the at least one second temperature change mechanism (320, 420, 520, 522) in a third temperature range (C) between the first temperature range (A) and the second temperature range (B).

The present disclosure relates to methods of obtaining electron diffraction data of microcrystalline samples.

The present disclosure relates to methods of obtaining electron diffraction data of microcrystalline samples.

The present invention describes a blotting material comprising a profiled region that has a portion configured to protrude at least partially into a space created within a boundary formed by the rim of a holder for a sample grid. Also described are methods for making such profiles and components used to make said profiles. There are also provided methods for removing excess liquid from a sample grid by bringing the profiled blotting material into association with the sample grid past the sample grid holder. Systems comprises means to hold a sample grid holder, means to hold the blotting paper, and means to bring the two together are also described.

A device for mounting an object holder on a carrier that can be inserted into a cryostat includes at least one clamping element may be provided for non-positive connection of the object holder with the carrier. The at least one clamping element is arranged to enable damage-free mounting of the object holder on the carrier even in the case of large temperature changes, so that reproducible measuring conditions are created at large temperature changes. The at least one clamping element may be drive-connected via a lever to a piezoelectric element, which may be subjected to voltage by a control device as a function of temperature and of a bearing specification and is supported against the object holder or the carrier.

A device for mounting an object holder on a carrier that can be inserted into a cryostat includes at least one clamping element may be provided for non-positive connection of the object holder with the carrier. The at least one clamping element is arranged to enable damage-free mounting of the object holder on the carrier even in the case of large temperature changes, so that reproducible measuring conditions are created at large temperature changes. The at least one clamping element may be drive-connected via a lever to a piezoelectric element, which may be subjected to voltage by a control device as a function of temperature and of a bearing specification and is supported against the object holder or the carrier.

A method (400) for microscopic examination of a sample (1) includes applying (410) the sample (1) to a sample holder (10) having a transparent carrier material, capturing (420) a first image (210, 220) of the sample (1) applied to the sample holder (10) using a first light-microscopy method, cryofixing, freeze-substituting, and subsequently infiltrating and embedding (430) the sample (1) together with the sample holder (10) with an embedding medium (20) in an embedding mold (90, 100), curing (440) the embedding medium (20), removing the sample (1) from the embedding mold (90, 100) together with the embedding medium (20) and the sample holder (10), capturing (450) a second image (230) of the sample (1) embedded in the cured embedding medium (20) using a second light-microscopy method, wherein at least partially identical regions of the sample (1) are captured in the first and second images, and identifying (460) at least one portion of the first image (210, 220) and one portion of the second image (230) which show identical regions of the sample (1).

A method (400) for microscopic examination of a sample (1) includes applying (410) the sample (1) to a sample holder (10) having a transparent carrier material, capturing (420) a first image (210, 220) of the sample (1) applied to the sample holder (10) using a first light-microscopy method, cryofixing, freeze-substituting, and subsequently infiltrating and embedding (430) the sample (1) together with the sample holder (10) with an embedding medium (20) in an embedding mold (90, 100), curing (440) the embedding medium (20), removing the sample (1) from the embedding mold (90, 100) together with the embedding medium (20) and the sample holder (10), capturing (450) a second image (230) of the sample (1) embedded in the cured embedding medium (20) using a second light-microscopy method, wherein at least partially identical regions of the sample (1) are captured in the first and second images, and identifying (460) at least one portion of the first image (210, 220) and one portion of the second image (230) which show identical regions of the sample (1).