Abstract: A method for dehydration and critical point drying of a sample in a single chamber is introduced, comprising the steps of (a) dehydrating the sample by replacing water by an intermediate fluid, (b) replacing the intermediate fluid by a transitional fluid, (c) pressurising the transitional fluid to or beyond its critical pressure and/or heating the transitional fluid (4 to or beyond its critical temperature, and (d) in response to gradually releasing the pressure, letting the transitional fluid gasify and escape from the sample. In step (a) and/or step (b), a ratio of the fluid to-be-replaced to the replacing fluid is measured and used to control a supply of the replacing fluid. The method reduces consumption of intermediate fluid and/or transitional fluid, making the process more efficient in terms of duration and user interaction while ensuring a high degree of dryness and the integrity of the sample.

Abstract: A sputter unit is introduced comprising a housing, a gas inlet, an interface for removable connecting the sputter unit to a vacuum chamber, a gas outlet arranged for supplying a process gas received via the gas inlet to the vacuum chamber, an interface for removable connecting the sputter unit to a base unit comprising a vacuum pump for generating a vacuum in the vacuum chamber, and a transformer arranged in the housing for increasing a supply voltage into an ionisation voltage for ionising the process gas supplied via the gas outlet to the vacuum chamber.

Abstract: A coating unit is introduced which coating unit comprises a thread conveyor. The thread conveyor comprises a first clamp and a second clamp for holding the thread there between. A rotatable support is provided for holding the first and the second clamp. Deflection means are provided in the thread conveyor for consecutively transforming the first and the second clamp from a closed position into an open position and back to a closed position in response to rotating the support. A drive is provided for rotating the support for evoking an unwinding of the thread from a spool if being clamped by the first or the second clamp and for clamping the unwound thread in the second or first clamp respectively in response to rotating the support.

Abstract: A method for dehydration and critical point drying of a sample in a single chamber is introduced, comprising the steps of (a) dehydrating the sample by replacing water by an intermediate fluid, (b) replacing the intermediate fluid by a transitional fluid, (c) pressurising the transitional fluid to or beyond its critical pressure and/or heating the transitional fluid (4 to or beyond its critical temperature, and (d) in response to gradually releasing the pressure, letting the transitional fluid gasify and escape from the sample. In step (a) and/or step (b), a ratio of the fluid to-be-replaced to the replacing fluid is measured and used to control a supply of the replacing fluid. The method reduces consumption of intermediate fluid and/or transitional fluid, making the process more efficient in terms of duration and user interaction while ensuring a high degree of dryness and the integrity of the sample.

Abstract: A sputter unit is introduced comprising a housing, a gas inlet, an interface for removable connecting the sputter unit to a vacuum chamber, a gas outlet arranged for supplying a process gas received via the gas inlet to the vacuum chamber, an interface for removable connecting the sputter unit to a base unit comprising a vacuum pump for generating a vacuum in the vacuum chamber, and a transformer arranged in the housing for increasing a supply voltage into an ionisation voltage for ionising the process gas supplied via the gas outlet to the vacuum chamber.

Abstract: A coating unit is introduced which coating unit comprises a thread conveyor. The thread conveyor comprises a first clamp and a second clamp for holding the thread there between. A rotatable support is provided for holding the first and the second clamp. Deflection means are provided in the thread conveyor for consecutively transforming the first and the second clamp from a closed position into an open position and back to a closed position in response to rotating the support. A drive is provided for rotating the support for evoking an unwinding of the thread from a spool if being clamped by the first or the second clamp and for clamping the unwound thread in the second or first clamp respectively in response to rotating the support.