In electron microscopy, the object upon which a sample is placed for observation is called a specimen support. Specimen supports are most easily described as the electron microscopy equivalent of a glass slide in a traditional light microscope. They are transparent to the electron beam, rigid so as to support the specimen and inert to the chemicals and materials placed directly on them.

At cryogenic temperatures, the properties of the support film have a direct and measurable effect on the quality of the data collected. Protochips has pioneered manufacturing technologies to create holey carbon films that are flatter and cleaner than holey carbon films made by other methods. The C-flat™ product line is based upon this manufacturing process.

Specimen supports have historically been used to simply hold samples. The Protochips Aduro™ technology platform has revolutionized analytical capabilities by enabling the observation and manipulation of specimens with great precision and at high resolutions.

Protochips has developed an innovative and protected technology platform based upon semiconductor devices and materials, which integrate capabilities directly onto the specimen support. Protochips' semiconductor approach not only enables real-time analysis using an electron microscope, but allow it to be easy to use, versatile, fast and at the highest resolution possible. The technology is based upon a family of ultra-thin, robust semiconductor membranes that can be used to create and rapidly change a very specific environment around an object while allowing the electron microscope to image the sample.