Hydrocarbon contamination, arising either from sample preparation or deposition during analysis, is a frequent barrier to high-quality SEM and TEM imaging. These carbon-based residues can mask nanoscale details, compromise data accuracy, and are time-consuming to correct.
Hitachi ZoneSEM II and ZoneTEM II UV-based Sample Cleaners offer a chemical-free, effective, and safe method of eliminating this contamination in the lab. These compact devices gently clean the samples using activated oxygen and low-energy UV radiation without causing surface changes or harming delicate structures.
Image Credit: Hitachi High-Tech Europe
- UV-based cleaning requires no chemicals or gas supplies
- Fast, damage-free elimination of hydrocarbon contamination
- Recipe memory in a touchscreen interface for convenience and consistency
- Dual function: Clean and store samples in one device
- Various sample types can be cleaned using vacuum control
Features and Benefits
Gentle, Chemical-Free Cleaning
Image Credit: Hitachi High-Tech Europe
UV lamps in the ZoneSEM II and ZoneTEM II cleaners cleave hydrocarbon bonds for effective removal. In the presence of oxygen, the wavelengths used create ozone and reactive oxygen species, which oxidize hydrocarbons into volatile compounds like CO2 and H2O, allowing them to be safely removed without needing solvents, reagents, or gas supplies.
Vacuum-Controlled Process for Sample Safety
Image Credit: Hitachi High-Tech Europe
By providing an adjustable vacuum, the integrated pump allows users to customize the level of cleaning. Thus, based on the sample, users may optimize the procedure.
Easy to Use, Easy to Repeat
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An intuitive touchscreen interface makes choosing and executing cleaning processes easy. Recipe memory allows users to save and retrieve process parameters, making it perfect for laboratories with several users or regular processes.
Cleaning and Storage in One
Image Credit: Hitachi High-Tech Europe
The ZoneSEM II and ZoneTEM II are sample cleaners and storage devices that reduce sample outgassing prior to imaging and help avoid recontamination. The ZoneSEM II is targeted at Hitachi holders.
Compact, Lab-Friendly
Image Credit: Hitachi High-Tech Europe
ZONE sample cleaners are simple to include in any lab setting due to their small desktop footprint, silent operation, and lack of gas connections or chemical waste disposal requirements.
Applications
SEM Imaging
ITO thin film on the glass printed circuit board before and after the cleaning of ZoneSEM II. Image Credit: Hitachi High-Tech Europe
TEM / STEM Preparation
CdSe quantum dot imaged before and after ZoneTEM II cleaning. Image Credit: Hitachi High-Tech Europe
EDS Mapping
EDS mapping image of Au particles on carbon before and after ZoneSEM II cleaning. Image Credit: Hitachi High-Tech Europe