Abstract:
A system is provided for imaging, in an ESE microscope or other variable pressure microscope, a single sample at various time intervals during dissolution of the sample in a liquid. The system includes a sample chamber (10) having a sample well. The sample well includes a first fluid port and a second fluid port for forming a dissolution bath in the sample well. In accordance with the system according to the present invention, the sample chamber (10) is placed into the specimen chamber of the ESE microscope and a sample is deposited into the sample well of the sample chamber. The sample is immersed in a liquid which flows through the sample well via the first and second fluid ports during a dissolution cycle. The liquid is then drained from the sample well via one of the first and second fluid ports during a draining cycle, and then, during an imaging cycle, the sample is imaged by the ESE microscope. The dissolution cycle, the draining cycle, and the imaging cycle all occur while the sample well is inside the specimen chamber (10) of the ESE microscope.
Abstract:
Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful intermediates and products, such as energy, fuels, foods or materials. For example, systems and methods are described that can be used to treat feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials, in a vault in which the equipment is protected from radiation and hazardous gases by equipment enclosures. The equipment enclosures may be purged with gas.
Abstract:
Provided is a transport device in which a reduction in the size and a reduction in the cost of the entire device are possible. A transport unit 20 which is interposed between a sub-chamber 4 and a first treatment chamber 10 is provided with: a transport bar 21 which transports a sample S along a right-left direction in a preliminary sample chamber; a support 31 which supports the transport bar; a case 41 which supports the support so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis intersecting the right-left direction; and a second O-ring 52 which seals an inside of the case. The preliminary sample chamber and a first treatment space can communicate with each other through the inside of the case. The transport bar is made so as to be able to transition between a first state where the transport bar can transport the sample between the preliminary sample chamber and the inside of the case, and a second state where the transport bar can transport the sample between the first treatment space and the inside of the case, by rotation of the support with respect to the case.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a micro-chamber for inspecting sample material, the sample material immersed in a liquid when filling the micro-chamber, the micro-chamber comprising: • an inspection volume (101) for holding the sample material, the inspection volume defined by: o a first rigid layer (102A+102B), o a second rigid layer (103A+103B) spaced from the first rigid layer, and o a hermetic seal (104) between the first and the second rigid layers, Characterized in that, prior to filling the inspection chamber with the liquid with immersed sample material, • a thin part (105) of at least one of the rigid layers separates the inspection volume from the outside, • the thin part is equipped to be punctured, and • the inspection volume is an evacuated volume,
as a result of which the liquid with immersed sample material, when placed upon the thin part, is sucked into the inspection volume when the thin part is punctured. This results in a micro-chamber that can be filled with sample material without the need of applying vacuum tubing's to it.
Abstract:
A scanning electron microscope suitable for imaging samples in a non- vacuum environment, the scanning electron microscope including an electron source located within an enclosure maintained under vacuum, an electron permeable membrane disposed at an opening of the enclosure separating an environment within the enclosure which is maintained under vacuum and an environment outside the enclosure which is not maintained under vacuum, the electron permeable membrane not being electrically grounded and at least one non-grounded electrode operative as an electron detector.
Abstract:
Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful intermediates and products, such as energy, fuels, foods or materials. For example, systems and methods are described that can be used to treat feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials, in a vault in which the equipment is protected from radiation and hazardous gases by equipment enclosures. The equipment enclosures may be purged with gas.
Abstract:
An in situ optical specimen holder is disclosed which allows imaging and analysis during dynamic experimentation. This holder assembly includes a set of focusing and reflection optics along with an environmental cell. Electromagnetic radiation can be used to optically excite the specimen in the presence or absence of fluid and the source of such radiation may be located within the body of the holder itself. The spot size of the irradiation at the specimen surface can be varied, thus exciting only a specific region on the specimen. The window type cell provides a variable fluid path length ranging from the specimen thickness to 500μm. The holder has the provision to continuously circulate fluids over the specimen. The pressure within the cell can be regulated by controlling the flow rate of the fluids and the speed of the pumps.
Abstract:
An inspection device for inspecting a surface of an inspection object using a beam includes a beam generator (10000) which is capable of generating one of either charge particles or an electromagnetic wave as a beam (10000A), a primary optical system (72) which is capable of guiding and irradiating the beam to the inspection object supported within a working chamber, a secondary optical system (74) which is capable of including a first movable numerical aperture (10008) and a first detector (761;76) which detects secondary charge particles generated from the inspection object (W), the secondary charge particles passing through the first movable numerical aperture, an image processing system (763) which is capable of forming an image based on the secondary charge particles detected by the first detector; and a second detector (76-2) arranged between the first movable numerical aperture (10008) and the first detector (76) and which detects a location and shape at a cross over location of the secondary charge particles generated from the inspection object (W).