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The ALTO 2100 system uses a high-stability SEM cold stage with a cooling circuit that is independent of the SEM vacuum and therefore compatible with low vacuum and environmental modes of operation.

Gatan Alto 2100 cryo system consists of:

• A two-pot freezing station to produce nitrogen slush and loading pre-frozen samples.
• A vacuum transfer device that enables loading of frozen samples into cryo preparation chamber.
• A dedicated cryo-preparation chamber with an integral nitrogen dewar for contamination-free transfer to the SEM with no degradation of SEM performance.
• A high-stability, gas-cooled, cold stage module fitted to the SEM stage, enabling vibration-free SEM imaging under frozen conditions.
  A built in cold knife fracture device

What are the advantages of cryo-SEM over other preparation techniques?

• Cryo SEM is the solution for imaging hydrated, beam sensitive, volatile and low melting point specimens that are normally difficult to image in traditional SEM.
• A rapidly frozen cryo-SEM sample is as close as possible to its natural state.
• Chemical fixation can be avoided. No use of solvents, which can sometimes remove certain sample components.
• No dehydration, therefore delicate structures are maintained without shrinkage.
• Fast freezing means chemical balance is well maintained for microanalysis.
• A soft, volatile or liquid sample is stabilized under the electron beam.
• Materials that are normally soft at room temperature can be fractured under cryogenic conditions.
• Freeze fracture and controlled freeze etching allow optimum exposure of internal microstructure and reveal the dispersion of components and phases in a system such as an emulsion or suspension.
• Cryo-SEM sample preparation time is less than 10 minutes.