Mobile mechanism for magnetic and/or thermal UHV shielding of samples

Describe a mechanism that provides efficient thermal, electric, and magnetic shielding of samples in UHV environment. The shield is moveable along the axis of the manipulator. The entire assembly, shields, supports, gears, chains, etc. can be clamped inside the manipulator port so that the entire manipulator can be removed leaving the shield assembly in place. The main characteristics of the shielding system are: (1) it leaves the sample environment completely free of ports, chains and gears when the shield is not inserted, so that the sample can be prepared with no particular constriction at all; (2) the shield and the manipulator are mechanically disengaged, so that virtually any kind of manipulator can be used; (3) the same mechanical assembly can be used for magnetic, thermal or electric shielding; and 4) the motion along the z axis of the manipulator is provided by a mini rotary feedthrough with the axis normal to that axis.