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Making the practically impossible “Merely difficult”—Cryogenic FIB lift‐out for “Damage free” soft matter imaging
Author(s) -
Parmenter Christopher D.J.,
Fay Michael W.,
Hartfield Cheryl,
Eltaher Hoda M.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
microscopy research and technique
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.536
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1097-0029
pISSN - 1059-910X
DOI - 10.1002/jemt.22630
Subject(s) - focused ion beam , lamella (surface anatomy) , transmission electron microscopy , materials science , scanning electron microscope , nanotechnology , environmental scanning electron microscope , lift (data mining) , composite material , ion , chemistry , computer science , organic chemistry , data mining
The preparation of thinned lamellae from bulk samples for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis has been possible in the focussed ion beam scanning electron microscope (FIB‐SEM) for over 20 years via the in situ lift‐out method. Lift‐out offers a fast and site specific preparation method for TEM analysis, typically in the field of materials science. More recently it has been applied to a low‐water content biological sample (Rubino 2012). This work presents the successful lift‐out of high‐water content lamellae, under cryogenic conditions (cryo‐FIB lift‐out) and using a nanomanipulator retaining its full range of motion, which are advances on the work previously done by Rubino (2012). Strategies are explored for maintaining cryogenic conditions, grid attachment using cryo‐condensation of water and protection of the lamella when transferring to the TEM. Microsc. Res. Tech. 79:298–303, 2016 . © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.