Ultra Low Temparature Electron Microscopy and Spectroscopy

我们将研究特定化学元素的稳定性， 测量某些类型的生物物质的质量， 包埋材料作为辐射和温度的函数。 我们将使用电子能量损失谱仪， 计算机进行定量测量。 虽然这项工作是 我们将开发一种更有效的数据采集系统 系统基于新的界面和计算机程序。 测量 非常冷的标本，我们将我们的光谱仪安装在一个特殊的 带超导物镜透镜的电子显微镜 在液氦温度下运行。 这将有助于未来 研究工作，因为非常低的温度可能 稳定某些元素，从而提高 浓度测量，并允许使用某些 化学元素作为特定部位的染色剂。 我们会知道 元件在低温下被“笼住”或“冷冻”在表面上。 包埋材料的稳定性提高， 切片标本的精确三维视图。 研究 分子（如DNA）的主要类别将表明 低温对材料最有帮助。 开发新 仪器将提高我们的研究效率， 辐射影响，并将使我们的技术被更多地使用， 广泛的其他。

We will study the stability of specific chemical elements and measure the mass of certain types of biological substances and embedding materials as a function of irradiation and temperature. We will use an electron energy loss spectrometer interfaced to a computer to make quantitative measurements. While this work is going on, we will develop a more efficient data acquisition system based on new interfaces and computer programs. To measure very cold specimens, we will mount our spectrometer on a special electron microscope with a superconducting objective lens operating at liquid helium temperature. This will help future research efforts because very low temperature will probably stabilize some elements, hence improving the accuracy of concentration measurements and allowing the use of certain chemical elements as site-specific stains. We will learn which elements are "caged at low temperature or "frozen" onto surfaces. Improved stability of embedding materials will allow more accurate three-dimensional views of sectioned specimens. Studies of major classes of molecules (like DNA) will indicate which materials are most helped by low temperature. Development of new instrumentation will improve the efficiency of our studies of radiation effects and will allow our techniques to be used more widely by other.