In cryogenic electron microscopy, keeping a sample cold is only part of the challenge. Vibration and thermal drift can limit what researchers can observe. Demcon kryoz addresses both with CryoFox, a compact cryocooler that provides localized cooling directly at the sample. The system combines a cold stage without moving mechanical parts with controlled sample positioning, while the surrounding microscope hardware remains at ambient temperature.
highlights
- Vibration below 1 nm peak to peak
- Thermal drift below 3 nm per minute
- Temperature range of 100–473 K
- No liquid nitrogen required
- Sample positioning in six degrees of freedom
localized cooling without liquid nitrogen.
At the heart of CryoFox is a miniature Joule–Thomson cooler. High-pressure nitrogen expands through a small restriction, cooling as the pressure drops and removing heat from the sample. The absence of moving mechanical parts at the cold stage limits vibration, which is critical when imaging at nanometer scale.
Only the sample area is cooled. Surrounding microscope components remain at ambient conditions, helping to limit unwanted thermal effects. The system uses nitrogen gas supplied from a cylinder, eliminating the need to handle liquid nitrogen.
controlled temperature and sample position.
CryoFox guarantees a temperature range of 100–473 K, vibration below 1 nm peak to peak and thermal drift below 3 nm per minute. The extended control station provides temperature stability of ±10 mK. A compact tabletop station offers ±100 mK stability.
Flexible connections allow the cryocooler to work with sample positioning in six degrees of freedom. Different holders support SEM/FIB, SEM/Raman and SEM stub or AutoGrid workflows. Custom holders can be developed for specific applications.
full service thermal engineering.
Demcon kryoz combine expertise in cryogenics, precision engineering, vacuum technology, and mechatronic system design to develop advanced cooling solutions for scientific and industrial applications.
