Cryo-em specimen preparation

A system for preparing a sample for cryo-electron microscopy comprising:

• a specimen delivery device configured to access a specimen and apply the specimen to a specimen receiver, the system configured to generate a first signal when the specimen is applied to the specimen receiver;
• a plunging device configured to move the specimen receiver into a cryogen, the plunging device configured to generate a second signal when the specimen is moved;
• an activation device configured to activate the specimen, the activation device configured to release an activating agent after a time delay, the specimen being activated by the activating agent;
• a vitrification device configured to receive the specimen receiver and vitrify the activated specimen in a vitrification medium;
• and
• a controller configured to execute instructions including:
• accessing configuration data including a desired temporal resolution, and a configuration-dependent time difference between when the specimen receiver begins moving towards the vitrification medium and when the specimen enters the vitrification medium;
• computing the time delay based at least upon the desired temporal resolution and the configuration-dependent time difference;
• receiving the first signal;
• activating the plunging device based on the first signal;
• receiving the second signal when the plunging device is activated;
• activating the activation device based at least on the time delay and the second signal;
• and
• deactivating the plunging device based at least on the second signal.