Compact cold stage for micro-computerized tomography imaging of chilled or frozen samples

High resolution X-ray microCT (computerized tomography) can be used to image a variety of objects, including temperature-sensitive materials. In cases where the sample must be chilled or frozen to maintain sample integrity, either the microCT machine itself must be placed in a refrigerated chamber,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Review of scientific instruments 2014-04, Vol.85 (4), p.043708-043708
Main Authors: Hullar, Ted, Paige, David F, Rowland, Douglas J, Anastasio, Cort
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
BLOWERS
Boron Compounds
Boron nitride
BORON NITRIDES
Cold
Computed tomography
COMPUTERIZED TOMOGRAPHY
CONSTRUCTION
Construction costs
Cooling
Design modifications
Freezing
HEAT EXCHANGERS
HEAT SINKS
Imaging, Three-Dimensional - instrumentation
Imaging, Three-Dimensional - methods
INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Medical imaging
Object recognition
Refrigeration
SAMPLE HOLDERS
Scientific apparatus & instruments
Tomography
X-Ray Microtomography - instrumentation
X-Ray Microtomography - methods
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Summary:High resolution X-ray microCT (computerized tomography) can be used to image a variety of objects, including temperature-sensitive materials. In cases where the sample must be chilled or frozen to maintain sample integrity, either the microCT machine itself must be placed in a refrigerated chamber, or a relatively expensive commercial cold stage must be purchased. We describe here the design and construction of a low-cost custom cold stage suitable for use in a microCT imaging system. Our device uses a boron nitride sample holder, two-stage Peltier cooler, fan-cooled heat sink, and electronic controller to maintain sample temperatures as low as -25 °C ± 0.2 °C for the duration of a tomography acquisition. The design does not require modification to the microCT machine, and is easily installed and removed. Our custom cold stage represents a cost-effective solution for refrigerating CT samples for imaging, and is especially useful for shared equipment or machines unsuitable for cold room use.
ISSN:0034-6748
1089-7623
DOI:10.1063/1.4871473