The Cold Stub: A Simple Stage For the Direct Observation of Frozen Samples in the Scanning Electron Microscope

Cold block devices have been used in the scanning electron microscope to permit the viewing of frozen samples. These have the advantage of simplicity in that feedthroughs for liquid nitrogen (LN) or temperature control may not be necessary. Previous cold stages for the SEM have either been cumbersome and expensive or in some way restrict the use of the microscope for general purposes. Previous cold sinks designed by the authors, like other common cold stages, require a period of temperature adjustment so that contamination introduced to the sample surface during the loading phase of the SEM sublimes, exposing the underlying frozen surface. The present device carries the simplification steps somewhat further.