German start-up Linnowave’s Vaheat provides a novel approach for precise and rapid temperature controllability in optical high resolution microscopy of live cells.
This newly-developed micro heating system is designed to measure and actively control the temperature in the field of view of almost any upright or inverted microscope, even when working with an immersion medium. The compact and versatile design ensures compatibility with almost all commercially available upright and inverted microscopes, while providing unprecedented temperature precision.
As Linnowave’s local partner for the UK and Ireland, Photon Lines is available to demonstrate the product and discuss individual customers’ applications upon request.
Temperature control in the field-of-view is essential for many applications in high-resolution microscopy, but direct thermal contact of the objective with the coverslip poses fundamental problems. Conventional methods trying to solve this issue have severe drawbacks, such as limited maximum temperatures of approx. 40°C, slow temperature dynamics, and associated long waiting times to achieve thermal equilibrium.
Vaheat provides a solution to these issues, with an operating temperature range from room temperature to 100°C (300°C upon request), relative temperature precision of 0.1K and fast thermal response, which allows precise temperature stabilisation even when using perfusion systems.
In standard devices thermal contact of the objective with the sample via immersion oil often causes temperature gradients within the field of view. Linnowave’s specific chip design with integrated micro heating element and precise temperature sensor allows the user to overcome these problems. There is a convenient magnetic clamping mechanism for ease of use and an ultra slim design for efficient transmission of light.
Vaheat has a stand-alone control unit with an easy to clean touch panel and USB interface, and there is also a knob which allows the temperature to be adjusted manually. There is an API available with which the device can be integrated into the user’s own data-acquisition software to control it via a PC.