1. Vacuum The system must be freely and simply be switched between three vacuum modes, which enables investigation of conductive, non-conductive and high-vacuum incompatible materials a. High-vacuum mode: <6*10-4 Pa or better for imaging and microanalysis of conductive and/or conventionally prepared specimens. b. Low-vacuum mode: 10 to 130 Pa or better for imaging and microanalysis of non-conductive specimens without preparation c. ESEM mode: 10 to 4000 Pa or better for high-vacuum incompatible specimens which are impossible to investigate with traditional EM methods.