Cryo-FIB

The Aquilos Cryo-FIB from Thermo Scientific is the first cryo-Dual Beam equipment specialized in the creation of frozen, thin lamella samples from biological specimens for high-resolution tomographic imaging in a cryo-transmission electron microscope.

Talk to an Expert

TRUSTED BY

Precision-driven testing for dimensional accuracy and compliance

Overview
Scope, Applications, and Benefits
Test Process
Specifications
Instrumentation
Results and Deliverables

Overview

Cryo-FIB stands for Cryogenic Focused Ion Beam. It is a cutting-edge technology used in milling and sample preparation at very low temperatures. It is essential to work at low temperatures to avoid damaging the sample or changing its phase during the process.

Cryo-FIB provides an accurate sample preparation method for temperature-sensitive samples such as polymers, biological samples, hydrated samples, battery samples, and others. It is used to prepare samples in precise locations using a thin sample called a lamella, using techniques such as SEM and TEM.

Scope, Applications, and Benefits

Scope

Cryo-FIB is an approach that has been developed specifically to accommodate materials that cannot stand high temperatures, vacuum, and ion beams. This approach maintains all temperatures at cryogenic levels throughout the process, thus preserving the state of the material while still allowing precise sectioning and milling.

Some materials that can be studied with this approach include:
– Soft materials and polymers
– Hydrated materials and gels
– Lithium ion battery materials
– Organic and hybrid materials
– Nanomaterials and films

The approach is beneficial in that it allows precise sectioning and milling directly under cryogenic conditions.

Applications

Preparation of TEM lamellae from sensitive materials
Cryogenic cross-sectional analysis of polymers
Battery material interface analysis
Biological specimen preparation for cryo-electron microscopy
Nanostructure investigation
Failure analysis of soft or volatile materials
Investigation of hydrated or frozen systems
Microstructural analysis of composite materials

Benefits

Preserves native material structure during preparation
Prevents thermal damage and phase changes
Minimizes beam-induced artifacts
Allows precise site-specific milling
Maintains hydration and volatile phases
Enables high-resolution electron microscopy analysis
Improves the reliability of nanoscale characterisation

Test Process

Cryogenic Preparation

The sample is cooled using a cryogenic stage and mounted on a cryo-compatible holder to preserve its native structure.

Focused Ion Beam Milling

A focused ion beam mills the sample and creates site-specific cross-sections of regions of interest.

Lamella Preparation

Ultra-thin lamellae are prepared under cryogenic conditions for high-resolution analysis.

Imaging and Analysis

The prepared sample is examined using techniques such as SEM and TEM.

Technical Specifications

Parameter	Details
Operating Temperature	Typically below −140°C
Ion Source	Gallium (Ga⁺) focused ion beam
Beam Diameter	Nanometre-scale milling precision
Vacuum Environment	High vacuum FIB-SEM chamber
Typical Output	Cross-sections, TEM lamellae, nanoscale structural information
Compatible Analysis	SEM, TEM, EDS, EBSD
Applicable Materials	Polymers, biological samples, batteries, soft materials, nanomaterials

Instrumentation Used for Testing

Cryogenic Focused Ion Beam (Cryo-FIB) system
Dual beam FIB-SEM microscope
Cryogenic sample stage
Liquid nitrogen cooling system
Micromanipulator for lamella lift-out
Transmission electron microscope (TEM)
Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) system
High-resolution imaging and analysis software

Results and Deliverables

High-resolution cross-sectional images
Site-specific TEM lamella samples
Microstructural characterisation reports
Interface and layer analysis
Nanostructure morphology evaluation
Failure analysis documentation
Reports

Why Choose Infinita Lab for Cryo-FIB?

Infinita Lab offers comprehensive Cryo-FIB testing services, a Comprehensive lab network, project management, confidentiality, and rapid turnaround. Trust Infinita Lab for your material testing needs, Faster test results, cost savings, and reduced administrative workload.

Looking for a trusted partner to achieve your research goals? Schedule a meeting with us, send us a request, or call us at (888) 878-3090 to learn more about our services and how we can support you. Request a Quote

Frequently Asked Questions

Cryo-FIB, which is short for Cryogenic Focused Ion Beam, is a sample preparation technique that involves the use of a focused beam of ions for milling, sectioning, and preparing samples for imaging, all while keeping the original sample structure.

The cooling of samples to cryogenic levels is useful in avoiding heat-related damage, phase changes, dehydration, and any form of distortion in materials like polymers, biological samples, hydrated samples, and battery parts.

Cryo-FIB is useful for the following samples: polymers, biological samples, hydrated samples, parts of lithium-ion batteries, pharmaceutical samples, nanomaterials, thin films, and many temperature-sensitive materials.

The major advantage is that it maintains the original microstructure for delicate materials by reducing damage caused by the beam during milling and sample preparation.

The sample that is prepared by cryo-FIB is usually analysed by various techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), etc.