Beam-induced deposition at cryogenic temperatures

A method of depositing a material onto a substrate at a selected cryogenic temperature in which the sample substrate is a vitrified biological sample and the selected cryogenic temperature is lower than −130° C., the method comprising:

• freeing a sample from the substrate using an ion beam;
• moving a microprobe into contact with the sample;
• directing a precursor gas toward the sample and irradiating the sample with a particle beam in the presence of the precursor gas to attach the sample to the microprobe;
• lifting the microprobe with attached sample away from the substrate;
• moving the microprobe so that the sample is in contact with a selected position on a sample holder;
• directing the precursor gas toward the sample and irradiating the sample with a particle beam in the presence of the precursor gas to attach the sample to the microprobe;
• separating the microprobe from the sample;
• and
• maintaining the sample at a temperature of −130° C. while the preceding steps are performed.