Overview

Critical point drying is an efficient method for drying delicate samples. It preserves the surface structure of a specimen which could otherwise be damaged due to surface tension when changing from liquid to gaseous state. The Leica EM CPD030 gently dries specimens of a biological nature such as pollen, tissue, plants, insects, etc. Before drying, many biological samples are commonly prepared through fixation and dehydration. After drying, the SEM specimens are coated with a metal such as gold, platinum or palladium to make their surfaces electrically conductive.