OMNY-A tOMography Nano crYo stage

Rev Sci Instrum. 2018 Apr;89(4):043706. doi: 10.1063/1.5020247.

Abstract

For many scientific questions gaining three-dimensional insight into a specimen can provide valuable information. We here present an instrument called "tOMography Nano crYo (OMNY)," dedicated to high resolution 3D scanning x-ray microscopy at cryogenic conditions via hard X-ray ptychography. Ptychography is a lens-less imaging method requiring accurate sample positioning. In OMNY, this in achieved via dedicated laser interferometry and closed-loop position control reaching sub-10 nm positioning accuracy. Cryogenic sample conditions are maintained via conductive cooling. 90 K can be reached when using liquid nitrogen as coolant, and 10 K is possible with liquid helium. A cryogenic sample-change mechanism permits measurements of cryogenically fixed specimens. We compare images obtained with OMNY with older measurements performed using a nitrogen gas cryo-jet of stained, epoxy-embedded retina tissue and of frozen-hydrated Chlamydomonas cells.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chlamydomonas
  • Cryopreservation / instrumentation
  • Equipment Design
  • Imaging, Three-Dimensional / instrumentation*
  • Interferometry / instrumentation
  • Lasers
  • Microscopy / instrumentation*
  • Optical Imaging / instrumentation
  • Retina / cytology
  • Scattering, Small Angle
  • Temperature
  • Tomography, X-Ray / instrumentation*
  • X-Ray Diffraction / instrumentation