Transfer station, interrogation station, and related methods to facilitate transfer of biological specimens stored at cryogenic conditions

An interrogation station comprising:

• a frame and a well, the well having a bottom, a top opposite the bottom, and at least one sidewall that extends upwardly from the bottom towards the top, wherein the bottom, the at least one sidewall, and the top collectively delineate an interior cavity of the well, at least a portion of the top of the well being open, the frame including at least one opening that provides passage through the open top of the well so as to provide access to the interior cavity from an exterior thereof;
• at least one array of antennas arranged within a plane;
• at least one printed circuit board which carries the at least one array of antennas;
• and
• a coupler that secures the at least one array of antennas beneath the bottom of the well at a defined perpendicular distance from the bottom of the well in a vertical direction, and with the at least one array of antennas laterally aligned with a respective one of the at least one opening of the frame,
• wherein the coupler includes a slotted plate which supports the at least one printed circuit board at a location between the well and the slotted plate, and the slotted plate includes a plurality of slots that extend through a thickness of the slotted plate and that are aligned with components mounted on a lower side of the at least one printed circuit board along the vertical direction, and
• wherein the coupler includes a pair of brackets that secure the slotted plate to the well.