WHAT: After over 2 years of design, procurement, assembly and testing, the new CLS-SM cryo STXM generated its first image on 09 Sep 2015. This system features a 5-axis computer controlled goniometer stage and cryo sample rod (adapted from transmisison electron microscopy), near-UHV construction, and novel python based acquistion and control software (pySTXM). It will provide CLS-SM users with a user-friendly system for cryo spectro-tomography, cryo spectro-ptychography as well as room temperature and variable temperature STXM studies of appropriate, vacuum compatible samples.

The new microscope is one of 3 components of a major upgrade to the CLS soft X-ray spectromicroscopy facility, that is funded by the Canada Foundation for Innovation, CLS, Provinces of Saskatchewan, Alberta and Ontario, and the AFCC Automotive Fuel Cell Cooperation Corporation.

OTHER INFORMATION:

A. F. G. Leontowich, C. Regier, D. M. Taylor, R. Berg, K. Epp, J. Swirsky, C. Karunakaran, A. P. Hitchcock and S. G. Urquhart, Design and installation of a cryo scanning transmission x-ray microscope at the Canadian Light Source, International Conference on X-ray Microscopy (XRM2014), Melbourne, Australia, Oct, 2014