Hydrocarbon contamination can often prevent high-quality SEM and TEM imaging. These carbon-based residues can obscure fine features, skew data, and waste time, whether they are added during sample preparation or accumulate during imaging.
The Hitachi ZoneSEM II and ZoneTEM II UV-based Sample Cleaners offer a safe, effective, and chemical-free method of removing contaminants from the lab bench. These small-scale devices use low energy UV light and activated oxygen to gently clean samples without destroying fragile features or changing surface qualities.
- Cleaning with UV light without the use of chemicals or gas supplies
- Quick and damage-free elimination of hydrocarbon pollution
- Touchscreen interface with recipe memory for ease-of-use and reproducibility
- Dual function: clean and store samples in one device
- Vacuum-controlled cleaning to accommodate a variety of sample types
Image Credit: Hitachi High-Tech Europe
Features and Benefits
Gentle, Chemical-Free Cleaning
Image Credit: Hitachi High-Tech Europe
The ZoneSEM II and ZoneTEM II cleaners break down hydrocarbon bonds with UV lamps. In the presence of oxygen, the wavelengths used create ozone and reactive oxygen species, which oxidize hydrocarbons into volatile compounds like CO2 and H2O. This allows them to be safely removed without requiring solvents, reagents, or gas sources.
Vacuum-Controlled Process for Sample Safety
Image Credit: Hitachi High-Tech Europe
The integrated pump allows users to manage the vacuum’s intensity, allowing them to adjust the procedure based on the sample.
Easy to Use, Easy to Repeat
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Both devices have an intuitive touchscreen interface, making cleaning methods easy to choose and execute. Recipe memory is perfect for laboratories with several users or regular processes, as it allows users to save and retrieve process parameters.
Cleaning and Storage in One
Image Credit: Hitachi High-Tech Europe
As sample cleansers and storage devices, the ZoneSEM II and ZoneTEM II reduce sample outgassing prior to imaging and help avoid recontamination. The ZoneSEM II is primarily designed for Hitachi holders.
Compact, Lab-Friendly Design
Image Credit: Hitachi High-Tech Europe
ZONE sample cleaners are simple to integrate into any lab setting because they are desktop-sized, operate quietly, and require no gas hookups or chemical waste processing.
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