system controller (model T95 or later), without additional
hardware components.
11. The stage cable that is included with the BCS196 stage should
not be used if setting up a high-speed video cryomicroscopy
system based on the Linksys32 software. Instead, a FDCS196
stage cable must be used; this cable is required to allow the
Linkam T95 system controller to establish communication
with the VC95 vacuum controller board.
12. This is a custom 9-pin female connector (DE-9) that contains
an integrated circuit (wired to pins 4, 5, and 9), which allows
the Linkam VC95 vacuum controller expansion card to recognize the connector. For purposes of assembling a trigger interface cable as described in Subheading 3.1, the connector also
needs to be pre-wired with a signal lead (red) that connects to
pin 6 and a signal ground lead (black) that connects to pin
1. For more information, contact the author.
13. Refer to minimum system requirements as specified by Linkam
Scientific Instruments and the manufacturer of the high-speed
imaging system. The legacy versions of the Linkam Scientific
Linksys32 software and the Vision Research Phantom Camera
Control software can be installed on a computer running a
32-bit Microsoft Windows operating system from Windows
XP to Windows 7. On the other hand, installation of the Vision
Research PCC software and the Linkam Scientific LINK software on the same computer requires the 64-bit versions of
Windows 7 Pro or Windows 10. Minimum hardware requirements for the current releases of the PCC and LINK applications include an Intel Core i3 series microprocessor
(>2.3 GHz), 8 GB of memory, 200 GB of disk space, a
graphics processing unit with 256 MB of memory, and a Gigabit Ethernet adapter with jumbo frame support. If using the
legacy T95 system controller, the computer must have at least
one free serial (COM) port; if using the model T96 controller,
a free USB 2.0/3.0 port is required. It is recommended that
the computer be outfitted with a system for efficiently archiving
image data (e.g., a tape drive or a disk array system).
14. Alternatively, one may use any general-purpose numerical software platform (e.g., MATLAB, The MathWorks, Natick, MA).
15. It is possible to use any BNC male connector, but a BNC to
terminal block adapter simplifies assembly of the trigger interface cable, because no soldering or crimping is necessary. This
item is only necessary if the cryomicroscope system is based on
the model T95 system controller and Linksys32 software; if
using the LINK software to control the cryomicroscope system, then one would instead need two BNC video cables
(male-to-male) as well as one 3.5-mm mono plug to BNC
246
Jens O. M. Karlsson
hardware components.
11. The stage cable that is included with the BCS196 stage should
not be used if setting up a high-speed video cryomicroscopy
system based on the Linksys32 software. Instead, a FDCS196
stage cable must be used; this cable is required to allow the
Linkam T95 system controller to establish communication
with the VC95 vacuum controller board.
12. This is a custom 9-pin female connector (DE-9) that contains
an integrated circuit (wired to pins 4, 5, and 9), which allows
the Linkam VC95 vacuum controller expansion card to recognize the connector. For purposes of assembling a trigger interface cable as described in Subheading 3.1, the connector also
needs to be pre-wired with a signal lead (red) that connects to
pin 6 and a signal ground lead (black) that connects to pin
1. For more information, contact the author.
13. Refer to minimum system requirements as specified by Linkam
Scientific Instruments and the manufacturer of the high-speed
imaging system. The legacy versions of the Linkam Scientific
Linksys32 software and the Vision Research Phantom Camera
Control software can be installed on a computer running a
32-bit Microsoft Windows operating system from Windows
XP to Windows 7. On the other hand, installation of the Vision
Research PCC software and the Linkam Scientific LINK software on the same computer requires the 64-bit versions of
Windows 7 Pro or Windows 10. Minimum hardware requirements for the current releases of the PCC and LINK applications include an Intel Core i3 series microprocessor
(>2.3 GHz), 8 GB of memory, 200 GB of disk space, a
graphics processing unit with 256 MB of memory, and a Gigabit Ethernet adapter with jumbo frame support. If using the
legacy T95 system controller, the computer must have at least
one free serial (COM) port; if using the model T96 controller,
a free USB 2.0/3.0 port is required. It is recommended that
the computer be outfitted with a system for efficiently archiving
image data (e.g., a tape drive or a disk array system).
14. Alternatively, one may use any general-purpose numerical software platform (e.g., MATLAB, The MathWorks, Natick, MA).
15. It is possible to use any BNC male connector, but a BNC to
terminal block adapter simplifies assembly of the trigger interface cable, because no soldering or crimping is necessary. This
item is only necessary if the cryomicroscope system is based on
the model T95 system controller and Linksys32 software; if
using the LINK software to control the cryomicroscope system, then one would instead need two BNC video cables
(male-to-male) as well as one 3.5-mm mono plug to BNC
246
Jens O. M. Karlsson