Leveraging its advanced scanning electron microscopy technology, CIQTEK has introduced the Cryo-SEM Solution, which integrates low-temperature freezing and vacuum transfer. This enables in-situ, non-destructive, and high-fidelity microscopic observation of biological and sensitive samples, truly “freezing” the microscopic details of life.

With liquid-nitrogen slush rapid-freezing technology, samples can be vitrified instantly at -210 °C, preserving their original morphology and chemical composition to the greatest extent. The integrated cryo-preparation system combines freeze-fracture, sublimation coating, and low-temperature transfer, avoiding the complexity and potential errors of conventional manual preparation. Throughout the entire process, samples are maintained under cryogenic vacuum conditions and transferred to the SEM cryo-stage, where high-resolution imaging at -180 °C effectively suppresses electron beam damage and significantly improves image quality.

Cryo-prepared boxwood leaf showing intact vein structures, while the untreated sample exhibits severe shrinkage.

Yogurt

Mold

Cryo-prepared yogurt sample clearly reveals protein networks and fungal hyphae.

In addition, the system offers strong compatibility, adaptable across CIQTEK's full range of SEMs and dual-beam FIBSEM systems, meeting diverse needs from routine observation to advanced analysis.

The CIQTEK Cryo-SEM Solution is more than just a set of instruments. It embodies a scientific approach dedicated to faithfully restoring the microscopic world. It empowers researchers to overcome technical limitations, capture critical details at the micro scale of life, and drive both fundamental research and applied development to new heights.

September 26–30, Wuhan

At the 2025 Chinese Electron Microscopy Academic Conference, CIQTEK will unveil eight cutting-edge EM solutions.

Stay tuned!

CIQTEK is pleased to announce the successful installation and training of the FIBSEM DB550 at our Korean distributor GSEM’s Electron Microscope Center. This milestone marks an important step in expanding access to advanced focused ion beam scanning electron microscope (FIBSEM) technology in South Korea.

The DB550 combines high-resolution imaging with precise ion beam milling, enabling researchers to perform 3D reconstruction, cross-sectional analysis, and nanoscale material modification with efficiency and accuracy. With these capabilities, the system opens new possibilities for semiconductor analysis, materials science, and life science research.

Following installation, CIQTEK engineers provided hands-on training to the GSEM team, covering both standard workflows and advanced applications. The interactive sessions ensured that users gained practical experience in operating the instrument, from sample preparation to high-resolution imaging and data analysis. The enthusiasm and engagement of the GSEM team highlighted the strong potential for the DB550 to support diverse research projects at the center.

This collaboration reflects CIQTEK’s commitment to working closely with partners worldwide. By equipping GSEM’s facility with the DB550, we are not only strengthening our presence in the Korean market but also helping local researchers gain access to cutting-edge tools for scientific innovation.

We look forward to seeing the exciting results that GSEM’s Electron Microscope Center will achieve with the DB550, and we remain committed to providing ongoing technical support and collaboration.

The 10th EFEPR Summer School, held at the University of Manchester, welcomed over 130 young researchers and established experts from across Europe for an inspiring week of lectures, tutorials, and hands-on sessions. CIQTEK, together with our UK partner SciMed, was proud to be part of this vibrant event dedicated to advancing Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) science.

At our booth, we presented the CIQTEK EPR200M benchtop spectrometer, a compact yet powerful platform designed for teaching labs, research groups, and emerging facilities. Many participants were excited to see how the instrument combines high performance with accessibility, sparking conversations about applications ranging from free radical studies to transition metal analysis.

But science wasn’t the only highlight. To bring extra warmth to the event, we introduced our CIQTEK panda mascot—a plush companion that quickly became a favorite among attendees. The panda added a touch of fun, helping students relax and encouraging more open and engaging discussions. It was a great reminder that science can be both rigorous and joyful.

Throughout the week, our team enjoyed deep discussions on topics such as variable temperature experiments, modernization of legacy EPR systems, and the role of benchtop instruments in expanding access to EPR education. These exchanges reinforced our commitment to supporting both established laboratories and the next generation of researchers.

A special thank you goes to our distributor SciMed for their strong support and collaboration throughout the event. Their expertise and enthusiasm helped create an inviting space where participants could explore new ideas and connect with the latest in EPR instrumentation.

We leave Manchester energized by the passion of the EFEPR community and look forward to continuing our contributions to global EPR education and research.

From August 24–29, 2025, CIQTEK participated in the Microscopy Conference 2025 (MC2025) held in Karlsruhe, Germany, one of Europe’s largest and most influential events in the field of electron microscopy. The conference attracted leading scientists, instrument developers, and industrial users, creating a dynamic platform for academic exchange and technological collaboration.

As part of the program, CIQTEK delivered an Exhibitor Presentation titled:
“Unlocking the Power of High-Speed Scanning Electron Microscopy — without Compromising Superb Imaging Resolution at Low kV.”

The presentation highlighted CIQTEK’s approach to enabling high-throughput SEM imaging while maintaining exceptional resolution at low accelerating voltages—a balance critical for applications in materials science, semiconductor failure analysis, and life sciences research. The talk generated considerable interest among attendees and sparked lively discussions about how advanced SEM systems can accelerate both fundamental research and industrial applications.

Beyond the presentation, the CIQTEK team actively engaged with researchers and industry professionals, sharing insights into the company’s broader electron microscopy portfolio and exploring opportunities for collaboration. These exchanges not only deepened awareness of CIQTEK’s technological strengths but also strengthened connections within the global microscopy community.

CIQTEK’s successful participation in MC2025 reflects its ongoing mission to push the boundaries of EM imaging technology and to provide researchers worldwide with powerful, accessible, and innovative solutions. Looking ahead, the company will continue to expand international partnerships and contribute to the advancement of microscopy-driven discovery.

Pushing the Frontiers of Bioprinting with CIQTEK SEM

At Ningbo University’s Institute of Intelligent Medicine and Biomedical Engineering, researchers are tackling real-world medical challenges by merging materials science, biology, medicine, information technology, and engineering. The Institute has quickly become a hub for wearable and remote healthcare innovations, advanced medical imaging, and intelligent analysis, intending to turn lab breakthroughs into real clinical impact.

Recently, Dr. Lei Shao, Executive Vice Dean of the Institute, shared highlights of his research journey and how CIQTEK's cutting-edge SEM is fueling his team’s discoveries.

CIQTEK SEM at Ningbo University’s Institute of Intelligent Medicine and Biomedical Engineering

Printing the Future: From Miniature Hearts to Vascular Networks

Since 2016, Dr. Shao has been pioneering biomanufacturing and 3D bioprinting, with the goal of engineering living, functional tissues outside the human body. His team’s work spans from 3D-printed miniature hearts to complex vascularized structures, with applications in drug screening, disease modeling, and regenerative medicine.

A 3D-printed miniature heart

Backed by funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China and local research agencies, his lab has introduced several breakthroughs:

• Smart bioprinting strategies: Using fluid rope-coiling effects with coaxial bioprinting to fabricate microfibers with controlled morphology, enabling the creation of vascular organoids.

• Cryopreservable cell microfibers: Developing standardized, scalable, and cryopreservable cellular microfibers through coaxial bioprinting, with high potential for 3D cell culture, organoid fabrication, drug screening, and transplantation.

• Sacrificial bioinks: Printing mesoscopic porous networks using sacrificial microgel bioinks, building nutrient pathways for effective oxygen/nutrient delivery.

• Complex vascular systems: Constructing complex vascular networks with coaxial bioprinting while inducing in-situ endothelial cell deposition, solving challenges in vascularization of complex structures.

• Anisotropic tissues: Creating anisotropic tissues using shear-oriented bioinks and pre-shearing printing methods.

• High-cell-density constructs: Proposing an original liquid-particle support bath printing technique for high-cell-density bioinks, achieving lifelike bioactive tissues while overcoming the long-standing trade-off between printability and cell viability in extrusion-based bioprinting.

These advances are paving the way toward functional, transplantable tissues, and potentially even engineered organs.

Accelerating Discovery with CIQTEK SEM

With science advancing rapidly, biomedical research stands at the forefront of innovation. Higher efficiency often leads to greater breakthroughs. According to Dr. Shao, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is one of the most indispensable scientific instruments at the Institute. Since adopting CIQTEK’s field-emission SEM, research efficiency and innovation at the Institute have advanced significantly.

“In the past, we had to send samples to other labs and often waited in long queues, which slowed down our research,” Dr. Shao explained. “Now, with CIQTEK’s SEM in-house, we can capture stunning details of biological materials, from 10 nm hydrogel particles to nanofiber networks inside composite hydrogels. The clarity is game-changing.”

The results speak for themselves: multiple high-impact publications on vascularized tissues, drug carriers, and biomaterials have already stemmed from this work.

Selected publications

For Dr. Shao, the instrument has become more than a microscope:

“It’s an accelerator for innovation, helping us move faster from fundamental research to practical applications.”

From miniature 3D-printed hearts to the nanoworld revealed by SEM, Ningbo University’s Institute of Intelligent Medicine is proving how cross-disciplinary innovation can reshape the future of healthcare.

At the exhibition, CIQTEK will present our latest innovations in electron microscopy (FIB/SEM, TEM), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrometers, BET Surface Area &Porosimetry Analyzers, and other advanced analytical instruments. The team will demonstrate product capabilities, share real-world application success stories, and discuss solutions for researchers and industrial professionals across multiple sectors.

In addition, CIQTEK will introduce QOILTECH, our specialized brand for innovating petroleum exploration and oilfield services. QOILTECH focuses on the R&D, manufacturing, and sales of petroleum exploration equipment, including RSS, MWD/LWD, resistivity, and near-bit azimuth gamma tools, designed for extreme environments. With proven expertise in tool design and application, QOILTECH delivers equipment capable of operating at depths of up to 100,000 meters annually, supporting efficient and reliable petroleum logging while drilling operations.

ARABLAB provides a key platform to connect with industry experts, researchers, and distributors from around the world. CIQTEK looks forward to engaging with attendees, showcasing how our advanced scientific instruments and petroleum exploration tools can drive breakthroughs in research, industrial applications, and oilfield operations.

We warmly invite you to visit our booth at H1-C24 to experience our instruments in action and speak directly with our product specialists.

Event Details:

• Date: 23–25 September 2025

• Venue: Dubai World Trade Center, UAE

• Booth: H1-C24, Sheikh Saeed Hall 1

This prestigious week-long event brings together up to 130 emerging Electron Paramagnetic Resonance ( EPR) spectroscopists, supported by a rich program of lectures, hands-on tutorials, practical demonstrations, and poster sessions delivered by leading experts from across Europe and beyond.

The EFEPR Summer School provides an exceptional opportunity for participants to deepen their understanding of EPR theory and its applications, engage in practical laboratory sessions, and connect with peers in the EPR community.

We will bring a live CIQTEK EPR instrument to the event, offering attendees the chance to see and experience our system in action. Whether you're a student or seasoned researcher, we invite you to stop by and discover how CIQTEK EPR solutions can support your work.

We look forward to meeting you in Manchester!

“CIQTEK field emission scanning electron microscope meets world-leading standards in all major specifications, offers a long warranty, and provides highly responsive after-sales support. After two years of use, we are confident that the system delivers lasting scientific value and performance at a highly competitive cost.”
— Dr. Zhencheng Su, Senior Engineer and head of the Molecular Biology Lab, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

In Shenyang, Liaoning Province, stands a prestigious research institute with a history dating back to 1954. Over the past 70 years, it has grown into a national powerhouse in ecological research — the Institute of Applied Ecology (IAE), part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). The institute focuses on forest ecology, soil ecology, and pollution ecology, making significant contributions to the national ecological civilization.

In 2023, as the institute approached a critical phase of equipment upgrades, it made a strategic decision that would not only reshape its research workflow but also establish a model case for the application of CIQTEK scanning electron microscopes (SEM) in the field of biology.

IAE CAS: Advancing Ecological Civilization with Science

IAE CAS operates three major research centers in forestry, agriculture, and environmental studies. Dr. Su recalls the development of the institute's shared technical service platforms.

Established in 2002, the Molecular Biology Laboratory is a core facility within IAE's Public Technology Center. Over the past two decades, the lab has acquired more than 100 sets of large-scale general-purpose instruments, valued at over 7 million USD. It supports internal research needs and also serves the public by offering testing services, including isotopic and tracer analysis, biological structure identification, trace element ecological analysis, and molecular biology services.

Affordable Brilliance: CIQTEK SEMs Deliver Beyond Expectations

For biological research, scanning electron microscopy is indispensable. “Our electron microscopy lab handles a wide range of biological samples, including plant and animal tissues, microbial cells, fungal spores, and viruses, as well as material samples like mineral particles, microplastics, and biochar,” Dr. Su explained.

The FE-SEM is capable of producing highly detailed 3D surface structures of solid-state samples. With a scanning transmission detector, it can also reveal internal structures of thin samples. In addition, the built-in high-performance EDS (energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy) enables qualitative and semi-quantitative elemental analysis on sample surfaces.

By 2023, their previous SEMs (an environmental SEM and a benchtop SEM) could no longer meet the growing demand for higher resolution and imaging precision. A new FE-SEM became necessary.

“After comprehensive evaluation and expert reviews, CIQTEK SEM5000 Series was selected through a competitive public bidding process,” Dr. Su recalled. “Its technical specifications align with global standards, the extended warranty is reassuring, and the after-sales service has been extremely responsive. After two years of use, we are very satisfied with its truly excellent value.”

CIQTEK SEM Microscopy at IAE, CAS

Field-Tested Excellence: CIQTEK SEMs Stand Out

Lee Xu, a key operator of the SEM5000 at the institute, is particularly impressed with the CIQTEK SEM5000's performance.

“The SEM5000 allows us to observe a wide variety of biological and material samples at magnifications ranging from 2,000x to 100,000x, and the image quality remains excellent throughout that range,” Lee noted.

One impressive feature is the user-friendly software.

“The interface is intuitive and easy to use. One of my favorite features is automatic brightness and contrast adjustment. It speeds up image acquisition and ensures consistent lighting in captured images.”

The after-sales support stands out.

“CIQTEK’s SEM engineers regularly check in on the instrument status and provide timely maintenance. Any issues we’ve encountered have been resolved quickly and professionally.”

The paired EDS system also performs reliably.

“It enables both qualitative and quantitative analysis of elemental composition on the sample surface. Point analysis is the most commonly used approach, allowing the detection of elements at specific spots or micro-areas, which is ideal for studying localized chemical properties. Line analysis helps map the distribution of selected elements along a defined path, revealing concentration gradients in materials.”

Since its installation, the CIQTEK SEM5000 has played a vital role in the lab’s scientific output.

“Over the past year and a half, we’ve analyzed a large number of biological and material samples,” said Lee. “The data and images generated have been used in theses, publications, and ongoing research.”

Notable Publications Utilizing CIQTEK SEM5000 Data:

• "Acetochlor accelerates the aging of plastic film microplastics in soil by altering the plastisphere microbiota", published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials.

• "Four new species of Trichoderma from subtropical forests in Southwest China", published in the Journal of Fungi.

IAE, CAS Team Analyzing with the CIQTEK SEM Microscopy

Electron Microscopy (SEM, FIB-SEM, TEM)

Experience the performance of CIQTEK’s high-resolution scanning electron microscopes (SEM) and focused ion beam FIB-SEM, designed to support advanced research in materials science, life sciences, semiconductors, and more.

Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) Spectrometer

Discover our growing EPR product portfolio, including floor-standing/benchtop EPR, pulse/CW EPR, widely used in chemistry, materials, catalysis, and biological research.

Surface Area and Porosity Analysis

CIQTEK will also showcase its BET analyzers and related instruments for surface area, pore size, and gas adsorption characterization, which are critical tools in fields like pharmaceuticals, catalysts, and nanomaterials.

See you at Booth 7B-407

Join us to discover how CIQTEK is advancing the future of scientific instrumentation!