Low Noise Images of Delicate Biologic Samples Captured

A direct electron detector enables the acquisition of low-noise images of delicate biologic samples and other beam-sensitive materials, and prevents radiation damage of the material.

The vulnerability of biological structures to damage by high-energy beam electrons precludes the use of extended exposures that could otherwise be used to improve signal-to-noise. With improved efficiency, the direct electron detector, called the Falcon, captures more information from a given electron dose. This accelerates the rate at which the signal-to-noise ratio improves over the exposure period. The design of the Falcon detector overcomes the excessive electron beam deterioration that was a technical challenge in its development.


FEI Company (Hillsboro, OR, USA), a provider of three-dimensional (3D) molecular, cellular, and atomic-scale imaging systems, introduced the Falcon direct electron detector for its Titan and Tecnai transmission electron microscopes (TEMs).

Matthew Harris, FEI's vice president and general manager of the Life Sciences Division said, "The Falcon detector achieves signal to noise ratios equivalent to CCD (Charged Coupled Device) cameras at a fraction of the electron dose. Conversely, at the maximum tolerable dose for a given sample, the Falcon detector delivers significant improvements in noise, contrast, and resolution."

The Falcon detector offers 4K by 4K resolution and works in tandem with a CCD camera for surveying and samples that are not dose sensitive. It will be available in the fourth calendar quarter of 2009.

FEI is a diversified scientific instruments company. It is a provider of electron and ion-beam microscopes and tools for nanoscale applications across many industries.

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