The gold coater built for serious SEM work
The LUXORAu is a fully automatic gold sputter coater for SEM imaging up to 50,000x. Load your samples, select your gold coating thickness, and press start. That is all there is to it. Reproducible, homogeneous gold films every time, from a benchtop machine that fits any lab.
- Compatible with all major SEM brands
- Worldwide support
- Expert advice
Ready in just 3 steps
Load your samples
Place up to 7 stubs in the removable sample holder and slide it into the LUXOR Au.
Select your gold coating thickness
Dial your target thickness on the touchscreen. For most SEM imaging, 5-15 nm gold sputtering is all you need. The machine remembers your last setting.
Press start
The LUXOR Au handles the rest. Vacuum, gold sputter deposition, and shut-down are fully automated. Your gold sputtered samples are ready within five minutes.
Built for the way labs actually work
Full automation, start to finish
Once you press start, the LUXOR Au takes over completely. Vacuum, gold sputter coating, and shutdown happen automatically. No manual adjustments mid-cycle.
The same result, every time
Built-in thickness monitoring means every gold coating lands exactly where you set it. No variation between runs, no drift between operators. Your 10 nm is always 10 nm.
Your SEM column, protected
The inverted target design keeps contamination away from your SEM column. It also means you can gold coat complex 3D structured samples without needing a turbo-molecular pump or rotating stage.
Ready to use from day one
Pre-mounted gold targets and a tool-free sample holder mean zero installation complexity. The LUXOR Au arrives ready to coat.
LUXORAu at a glance
A compact benchtop gold sputter coater with air or argon gas supply. Accepts interchangeable gold and gold/palladium targets. Compatible with all desktop and floor model SEM systems.
| Coating materials | Gold, Gold/Palladium |
| Max SEM magnification | 50,000x (gold coating for SEM) |
| Sample capacity | Up to 7 x 12.5 mm stubs per gold sputtering cycle |
| Coating thickness | 1-100 nm continuous. Recommended 5-15 nm for gold sputter coating SEM samples |
| Operation | Fully automatic, touchscreen |
| Gas supply | Air or Argon |
| Dimensions (W×D×H) | 340 × 340 × 290 mm |
| Target type | Pre-mounted interchangeable gold targets, no tools required |
| Design | Upside-down, SEM column contamination protected |
| Sample handling | Removable sample holder, no planetary or rotating stage required |
Ready to upgrade your SEM sample preparation?
The compact and fully automatic LUXORAu fits seamlessly into any lab workflow. Request a personalised quote and find out how easy gold sputter coating can be.
What labs say about LUXORAu
“The LUXORAu is a compact and fully automated instrument. All we need to do is enter the coating thickness and push start.
The layer thickness is also monitored very precisely, and we see that, unlike before, the gold coating is practically transparent, a clear indication that it is in the requested 10 nm range.”
Why choose gold coating for SEM?
Gold (Au) sputter coating remains the most widely used SEM sample preparation method for general-purpose electron microscopy.
It is the preferred method to protect samples from charging at magnifications up to 50.000x, ensuring reliable conductivity and minimal beam damage to non-conductive and beam-sensitive samples.
When to choose gold coating
Use cases
- General SEM imaging up to 50,000×
- Routine lab workflows
- Cost-effective coating for high throughput
Styrofoam
LDPE + glass fibers
Face mask
Egg shell
Before you request a quote
The questions we get most from labs evaluating the LUXORAu.
Is the LUXORAu compatible with my SEM?
The LUXORAu works with all desktop and floor model SEM systems, including Hitachi, Zeiss, Thermo Fisher Scientific, JEOL and Tescan. It is designed for gold sputtering for SEM imaging up to 50,000x. If you are running FEG-SEM above this range, take a look at the LUXOR Pt platinum sputter coater instead.
What is the difference between a gold sputter coater and a gold sputter machine?
Gold sputter coater price depends on your configuration and location. Request a personalised quote and we will come back with a full quote covering the coater, vacuum pump and any accessories you need. Please note the vacuum pump is ordered separately. Our UK distributor can also arrange a product demonstration at your lab before you commit to anything.
How much does the LUXORAu gold sputter coater cost?
Gold sputter coater price depends on your configuration and location. Request a personalized quote and we will come back with a full quote covering the coater, vacuum pump and any accessories you need. Please note the vacuum pump is ordered separately. Our UK distributor can also arrange a product demonstration at your lab before you commit to anything.
Where can I buy a gold sputter coater in the UK?
If you are looking to buy gold sputter coater equipment in the UK, or want to know where to buy a gold sputter coater near you, the LUXORAu is available through our UK distributor network. Fill in the quote form and we will connect you with your nearest authorised distributor.
Can the LUXORAu coat with gold/palladium as well as pure gold?
Yes. The LUXORAu accepts both gold and gold/palladium interchangeable targets. In practice, the difference in grain size between Au and Au/Pd is minimal when used in an SEM sputter coater. Au/Pd is available as an optional accessory. Switching between target materials takes seconds, with no tools required.
Is FEG-SEM gold coating possible with the LUXORAu?
The LUXORAu is designed for desktop SEM and floor model SEM at magnifications up to 50,000x. For FEG-SEM imaging above 50,000x, platinum coating is the right choice. The LUXORPt is specifically built for high-resolution FEG-SEM applications. If you are unsure which model fits your setup, get in touch and we will point you in the right direction.
Get a personalised quote for the LUXORAu
Fill in the form and our team will get back to you with a full package price, product information and availability through your nearest UK distributor.
- Full quote covering coater, vacuum pump and accessories
- Product demonstration at your lab
- UK distributor support, local expertise and fast response
- No obligation