Cryo-FIB

Following localization by correlative microscopy, cryo-focused ion beam (cryo-FIB) microscopes can be used to prepare and isolate a region of interest within a sample. Since its inception, cryo-FIB technology has evolved significantly. Cryo-FIB systems based on liquid metal ion sources (LMISs) typically use a beam of gallium ions to scan across a frozen sample surface, removing surface atoms layer by layer in a process called sputtering or ion beam milling. This process can be used to create 100-200 nanometer thick electron-transparent in situ lamellae from vitrified cells by removing cellular material above and below a target site. The Thermo Scientific Aquilos 2 Cryo-FIB with the iFLM Correlative System is a dedicated solution for cryo-lamella preparation and targeting with fluorescence microscopy.