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New Software to Improve System Control and Image Processing for Temperature Controlled Microscopy Launched
After listening to user feedback, Linkam has created new LINK software with an intelligent user interface that delivers a practical and intuitive system experience to users of their temperature controlled microscopy stages. Convenient and reliable software is of paramount importance to the scientific community and LINK now provides this.
From one central interface, it is possible to control and monitor the different physical parameters for Linkam stages. These include temperature, humidity, shear mode, tensile force and vacuum (depending on stage type and sensors fitted). LINK can be programmed with up to 100 ramps making it easy for even complex experiments to be run. Furthermore, the new five-point calibration ensures accuracy and precision in data collection. With the additional imaging module options, users can also see how their samples change in correlation to a controlled manipulation. LINK supports the Linkam T95 controllers with both USB 2 and RS232 connections.
Varying the environmental conditions of a sample can drastically change its physical properties. Proteins denature and polymers melt with heat; plastics tear when under tensile force and many other materials may release volatiles, oxidise, change colour or change shape. Such visual changes can be analysed quickly and easily with the new imaging and extended measurements modules. LINK can be programmed to take sample pictures at regular, specified intervals and, with a simple calibration set up, area, distance and angles can all be measured and annotated directly onto the images.
Other optional, modules include TASC and 21CFR11. TASC (Thermal Analysis by Structural Characterisation) is a new image analysis technique developed in partnership with Professor Mike Reading of Cyversa. TASC tracks changes in surface structure. The technique is highly sensitive to glass and melt transitions and, unlike traditional DSC, it is possible to analyse different parts of the same sample to identify inhomogeneities. TASC can be combined with any Linkam thermal stage, in effect creating a modular thermal analysis system.
21CFR11 is the part of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations on electronic records and electronic signatures (ERES). Adding the 21CFR11 Module to LINK adds compliance through supporting access control, user level management and audit trails of the data and guaranteeing the reliability of electronic records.
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Cryo-SEM Preparation System Used in a Project to Study Ice Crystals in High Altitude Clouds
Dr Nate Magee is an associate Professor of Physics at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) where he leads a team working to advance the understanding of the physical role of ice crystals in processes with high altitude clouds. Cirrus clouds are primarily composed of ice crystals that interact with solar radiation and IR radiation from the ground, and they play a significant, but still poorly understood role in Earth’s climate. The precise shapes and textures of these cirrus ice crystals largely determine how solar radiation interacts with the clouds (i.e. reflection & scattering angles) but the microscale structure is still fairly uncertain. Dr Magee is working with the Quorum cryo preparation system to make high-resolution images, 3D reconstructions and statistical measurements of ice crystals that are grown in the lab under cirrus conditions as well as ice crystals that are collected and recovered directly from high altitude cirrus using weather balloons and robotic cryo-capture.
A cryo preparation system is vital to the success of these studies. Describing the work, Dr
Magee said: “Keeping ice crystals very cold (sub -150°C) means that their vapour pressure will be sufficiently low that their shape and surface structure can be ‘locked’ in place as we image and analyse the ice particles. Working at Peltier cooling stage temps (maybe to -50°C) would not make this possible. The Quorum PP3010T transfer and interlock setup on our Hitachi SEM (with a few custom modifications on our part) has made it possible to transfer crystals from our lab systems directly into the SEM for imaging without exposing them to warmth or excess water vapour.”
So why did Dr Magee select the Quorum cryo-preparation package? “I have used Peltier cooling stages with FEI SEMs, which actually do have a few advantages for some types of in-situ ice growth experiments. However, as I have said, we required sub -150°C temperatures for this study so, after considering what was available, we chose to work with Quorum. Their full cryo temperature range and interlock prep chamber works very well for transfer experiments. We are still working to develop its functionality for in-situ dynamic experiments on growing ice.”
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