ALTO 1000

The configured cryo-SEM system

1 2

50 µm 10 µm

3 4

10 µm 2 µm

An exciting new concept in cryo-SEM

A New Concept
ALTO 1000 is an exciting new concept in cryo-SEM. Depending on the user’s applications and
requirements, exactly the correct configuration of cryo-system can be specified, no more, no less.

Whether your requirement is to image specimens that are not vacuum sensitive but would be
affected by e-beam heating, or you wish to perform in-depth investigations of hydrated material
including assessment of internal microstructure, then an appropriate version of ALTO 1000 is
available for you.

Five versions of ALTO 1000 are offered and the system’s modularity plus the range of accessories
offered means that the system can be upgraded if your research requirements change in the future.

ALTO 1000 is
remarkably small!
With ever-increasing demands on space
around the SEM, Gatan is proud to have
produced the world’s most compact
Preparation
cryo-system. However, ‘small’ is still easy
to use. Illumination and visibility during
Chamber
sample transfer is excellent and the small The ALTO 1000 has a dedicated
volume of the preparation chamber preparation chamber that attaches
ensures a quick pump-down. directly to the SEM. The chamber is
independently pumped with the
What kind of electron microscope do you specified rotary pump. Excellent visibility
operate? ALTO 1000 is equally ‘at home’ of the sample is assured during transfer
on high or low vacuum SEMs* and also due to the front window, high brightness
combined FIB + SEM instruments*. white LED and the large diameter ball
valve into the SEM chamber. For ALTO
Gatan works closely with all EM 1000 ‘A’ and ‘B’ systems the preparation
manufacturers to ensure that we provide chamber functions simply as an airlock
the optimum configuration on all models chamber.
of microscope, taking into account all the
other accessories that may be fitted. For ALTO 1000 ’C’, ‘D’ and ‘E’ systems a
fully integral liquid nitrogen dewar is
* for high performance cryo with Field incorporated into the preparation
Emission SEMs we recommend ALTO
2500. Please ask for a separate brochure.
Specimen Holders chamber to ensure efficient cryo-
pumping and contamination-free
operation. A cold stage is provided on
The standard specimen holder supplied with ALTO the top surface of the dewar to ensure
1000 takes a 10mm dia. aluminium stub onto which the specimen holder is maintained at a
most specimens can easily be mounted using low temperature during specimen
cryo-glue. preparation. A cooled fracture knife is
provided and, for the ‘E’ system, a
A wide range of alternative specimen holders is versatile magnetron sputter coating
available e.g. to accept rivets and planchettes and to system is included, offering a choice of
clamp larger specimens. Specimen holders are metallic coating targets.
transferred to the preparation chamber of ALTO
1000 and then through to the SEM chamber by
means of a transfer device.

Slushing Station
and Vacuum
Transfer Device
With some applications it is an advantage
to rapidly freeze the specimen outside the
preparation chamber. In this case a
‘slushing station’ together with a ‘vacuum
transfer device’ (VTD) are available with
systems ‘B’, ‘D’ and ‘E’ or as an upgrade
option. The slushing station is connected
to a rotary pump and allows the
production of nitrogen ‘slush’, a medium
in-between the liquid and solid state. This
allows rapid freezing of the specimen to
provide good ultra-structural preservation
with reduced ice crystal formation. The
VTD then allows transfer of the frozen
specimen under vacuum (to avoid frost
contamination) from the slushing station
to the preparation chamber. The ALTO
1000 VTD is a compact, lightweight unit
with a large glass window, providing
excellent visibility for the operator to
further transfer the specimen from the
preparation chamber onto the cold stage
module in the SEM.
SEM Cold Stage
Module
An efficient nitrogen gas cooled module
attaches easily to the SEM stage. Accurate
and simple programmable temperature
control over typical cryo stabilization and
sublimation temperature regimes is
effortlessly achieved using an integral
heater and sensor. The cold stage module
can be controlled at a ‘subliming’
temperature, allowing more ultra-
structural detail to be exposed, often
advantageous with a frozen hydrated
specimen.
Flexible cryo-tubing enables stage
movements, even when cold. A separate
anti-contaminator, custom designed to
suit the specific SEM, is provided within
the chamber to ensure contamination-free
imaging. The anti-contaminator stays cold
during the sublimation process to trap any
water vapour released.
System Control
Gatan’s many years of experience in
cryo-system design and use means that
we know the importance of siting
controls exactly where they are needed.
A handy palm sized keypad controller
displays system parameters and is easy to
use. The keypad may be sited at any
convenient location during use.
There are also simple, intuitive controls
fitted to major components e.g. the
preparation chamber and the sputter
coating option. The key to the simple
and safe functionality is that each
component communicates with each
other. This includes connection to the
SEM which ensures safe operating status
when transferring the specimen.
Safety Features
Electrical and mechanical interlocks are
provided to ensure user and microscope
safety under all operating conditions.
5
20 µm
6
10 µm
1 Abaxial leaf surface with Trichomes
2 Mushroom spores
3 Soybean root nodule bacteria, BSED image
at 30Pa and 15kV using Hitachi S-3400N,
courtesy of Dr. Y Kaneko, Saitama
University, Japan
4 Fractured plant epidermal cell
5 Antibacterial tissue
6 Fractured Skin cream
ALTO 1000 Specifications and Recommendations
Configuration table Accessories

System SEM Airlock Cold stage Slushing Sputter ALT330 Rotary pump
version cooling sample and fracture station and coat-
ALT160 Fixing kit for high purity Ar cannister
stage transfer knife in prep. vacuum trans- ing*
and A/C to SEM Chamber fer device ALT329 30 litre self-pressurising nitrogen storage dewar, for dry
ALTO1000A P P O O O N2 gas supply

ALTO1000B P P O P O ALT100 Plain holder (without 10 mm dia. stub provision)

ALTO1000C O O ALT101 Standard specimen holder (for 10 mm dia. stubs)

P P P
O
ALT102 Specimen holder for Balzers specimen carriers
ALTO1000D P P P P
ALT103 Specimen holder with clip fixings
ALTO1000E P P P P P
ALT118 Specimen holder with clamp facility
P = included, O = option, *requires cold stage and knife in prep. chamber
ALT119 Specimen holder with lockable rivet facility
Applications guide ALT136 Specimen holder to accept 2 Bal-tec HPF planchettes

System version Typical applications ALT138 Specimen holder to accept 2 Leica HPF planchettes

ALTO1000A Polymers, other beam sensitive materials, surface ALT137 Specimen holder to allow tilt and rotation
studies of low water content materials, requires ALT139 Specimen holder with clamping mask
imaging of uncoated specimens
ALT327 Impact freezing device, including planchette specimen
ALTO1000B All life science materials, soft solids, surface studies, holder for use with ALTO system
requires imaging of uncoated specimens
ALTO1000C Plant surface studies, low water content materials and
soft solids including fracture surfaces, requires imaging
of uncoated specimens
7 8
ALTO1000D All life science materials, soft solids, suspensions,
emulsions, including fracture surfaces, requires imaging
of uncoated specimens
ALTO1000E All life science materials, soft solids, suspensions,
emulsions, including fracture surfaces, additional
imaging performance available from coated material

Every cryo-system user has different applications and detailed requirements, so the
above table should only be used as a guide. To fine tune your system specification
and to consider the wide range of accessories on offer, please contact us to discuss.

Specification and Ordering Information

10 µm 8 µm
Ordering code Description
Systems
7 Fractured detergent frozen in situ
ALTO1000A Basic cryo-system, including gas-cooled SEM stage
8 Toothpaste
module (-185°C to +50°C), anti-contaminator and
lamp in SEM chamber, nitrogen dewar and gas feed-
throughs to SEM chamber, airlock chamber including
ball valve (50mm i.d.) with electrical and mechanical
interlocks, transfer device, specimen holder (for stubs),
keypad system control unit, electronics and valves
ALTO1000B As ALTO1000A, but including vacuum transfer device,
slushing station
ALTO1000C Cryo-system, including gas-cooled SEM stage module
(-185°C to +50°C), anti-contaminator and lamp in
SEM chamber, nitrogen dewar and gas feed-throughs
to SEM chamber, cryo preparation chamber including
integral nitrogen dewar with cold stage, fracture knife,
ball valve (50mm i.d.) with electrical and mechanical
www.gatan.com
interlocks, transfer device, specimen holder (for stubs), info@gatan.com
keypad system control unit, electronics and valves.
5794 W. Las Positas Blvd.
ALTO1000D As ALTO1000C, but including vacuum transfer device, Pleasanton, CA 94588 USA
slushing station
Corporate Office 925.463.0200
ALTO1000E Comprehensive cryo-system, as ALTO1000C, but Western USA Sales 925.463.0200
including sputter coating unit with target, vacuum
transfer device, slushing station Eastern USA Sales 724.776.5260
Upgrade options
UK +44.1235.540160
Germany +49.89.358084.0
ALT950 Vacuum transfer device + slushing station upgrade
France +33.1.34944407
ALT951 (C) Sputter system upgrades (require cold stage in
Japan +81.3.5639.2772
preparation chamber)
Singapore +65.6408.6230
ALT953 Prep chamber cold stage upgrade with fracture knife

Rev A1