14 Jul 2016
FEI (NASDAQ: FEIC) today released its new Themis™ Z scanning/transmission electron microscope (S/TEM), once again raising the bar for imaging and analysis. The Themis Z is an automated STEM that offers the industry leading specifications for image resolution, analytical speed and quality, and light element imaging sensitivity. The new instrument will be featured at the upcoming Microscopy and Microanalysis meeting, July 24-28 in Columbus, Ohio. FEI expects to ship the first instruments in Q1 2017. “Our Titan and Themis S/TEMs have led the market in performance for the last decade,” said FEI’s Trisha Rice, vice president and general manager of FEI’s Materials Science Business. “The Themis Z continues along that path, while at the same time, automating and simplifying operations to allow reproducible achievement of ultimate performance specifications to the broadest range of users and over the widest range of materials.”
The Themis Z S/TEM delivers the highest available specified performance in three critical areas as compared to other commercially available offerings:
Image resolution - Improvements in system stability and automated tuning routines allow the Themis Z to reproducibly deliver the high image resolution at high and low beam energies in both STEM and TEM modes for all users. In addition to the resolution and impressive analytical performance, a generous pole gap configuration provides the space to do more applications like three-dimensional (3D) tomography and allows excellent performance for in situ experiments.
Analytical speed and quality – A portfolio of energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) systems allows users to configure their system based on their primary characterization needs. When speed matters most, the new ‘Dual X’ detector system combines large solid angle and high count rates with low-noise, high-energy resolution. Its symmetrical design ensures high-quality 3D chemical mapping and accurate quantification. When spectral quality is first priority and versatility is important – for instance, to accommodate in-situ holders – the Super X system’s low noise and excellent energy resolution provide a powerful solution.
Light element imaging – The new iDPC detector uses up to 90 percent of transmitted electrons to offer higher sensitivity to lighter elements compared to annular bright field (ABF) imaging techniques, while still preserving atomic-scale resolution and direct image interpretation.