Universitat Basel

Stefan Alexander Arnold

Thomas Braun

Henning Stahlberg

Method for preparing a sample, wherein the sample is provided as a thin film on a support structure; the temperature of the support structure is adjusted to a value above the dew point temperature of the environment to decrease the film thickness, light is directed at the support structure, an intensity value of the transmitted light is measured, and the support structure is automatically inserted into a liquid cryogen dependent on the measured intensity value. The application further relates to a system comprising a support structure, a temperature-controlled stage for keeping the support structure at a pre-defined temperature, a transfer mechanism for moving the support structure into a container containing a liquid cryogen, a light source, a photodetector for measuring an intensity value of the transmitted light, and a control device for triggering the transfer mechanism dependent on the measured intensity value.

Lossless cryo-grid preparation by controlled sample evaporation

The invention relates to a preparation system and method for preparing a sample for electron microscopy, the preparation system comprising: a liquid handling system () comprising a dispensing head (), wherein said liquid handling system () is configured to aspirate and dispense a volume of a sample via the dispensing head (), a support structure () that is configured to accommodate the sample, a temperature-controlled stage () that is configured to keep said support structure () at a pre-defined temperature, a first adapter () configured to hold said support structure (), and a transfer mechanism () that is configured to be connected to the first adapter () holding the support structure () and to move said support structure () into a container () containing a liquid cryogen () so that the sample on the support structure () contacts the cryogen ().

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Basel, Switzerland

Stefan Alexander Arnold