holder. Wait until the red light on the Compustage is off before proceeding.
(b) Remove the objective aperture by sliding the lever to the right.
Align the specimen holder with the small pin at approximately 3 o’clock. Carefully insert
the end of the specimen holder into the stage until you reach the end. Then rotate
clockwise to about 5 o’clock whilst very gently pushing inwards. This will allow the
holder to slide in to the final pumping position. The red light on the Compustage will
turn on and the turbo pump will begin speeding up (orange button color) and in ~3
minutes reach its operating speed (yellow button color). A countdown will begin in the
Vacuum Overview
window. Under the
Messages/Log
menu select the type of specimen
holder inserted.
When the countdown has finished and the red Compustage light has switched off, rotate
the specimen about 120 degrees anti-clockwise (as far as it will go), then slowly slide it
into the microscope. Do not let go of the holder as the vacuum will pull it in and this may
damage the stage. Once the holder is inserted click on
Turbo
to switch off the turbo.
Cryo sample
Under the
Search
tab, in the
Stage
2
menu, click on the flap-out menu and click
Control
then
Holder
. This will reset X, Y, Z, and
α
on the stage and avoid damaging the holder.
Wait until the red light on the Compustage is off before proceeding.
Remove the objective aperture by sliding the lever to the right.
Under
Setup
tab click on
Turbo
to switch on the turbo pump. The turbo pump will start
speeding up (orange button color) and in ~3 minutes reach its operating speed (yellow
button color). Under
Search
>
Stage
2
>
alpha toggle
. Enter “-55” then click
Set Alpha
to
tilt the stage. Under the
Setup
>
Vacuum
>
Cryo
click on
Prepump Airlock
. Insert the
cryo-holder as above (adjusting the insertion position for the tilted stage). The turbo will
start pumping on the airlock within ~4 seconds of the Compustage red light turning on.
The countdown will begin in the
Vacuum Overview
window. Under the
Messages/Log
menu select
“ST Cryo Holder”
.
When the countdown has finished and the red Compustage light has switched off, rotate
the specimen about 120 degrees anti-clockwise as far as it will go, and slowly slide it into
the microscope. Click on
Set Alpha
to reset the stage. Click on Turbo to switch off the
turbo and top-up the liquid nitrogen in the holder.
6.
Removing the specimen holder
Reset the Stage (
Search
>
Stage
2
>
Reset Holder
).Close the column
valves(
Setup
>
Vacuum
>
Column Valves
). Stand up and position yourself opposite the
compustage. Use your left-hand fingers to push gently against the purple plate of the stage
and use your right hand to slowly retract the holder outwards. When you reach a stop,
rotate the holder clockwise ~120° until it stops. Then pull out gently and parallel to the
stage axis. You will have to overcome the vacuum pull but do not pull too strongly as you
may damage the stage.
