Thermo Fisher Scientific unveiled the Thermo Scientific Spectra Ultra, a next-generation scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) that offers structural and chemical insight on a wide range of materials at atomic-scale resolution.
The new Spectra Ultra provides flexibility to optimize conditions for advanced imaging and analysis in minutes versus hours. To fast-track materials research and improve throughput, users can now rapidly adjust accelerating voltage with high stability. This enables the investigation of an extended range of samples, minimizes beam damage, and greatly reduces tool optimization overhead.
Spectra Ultra includes a new energy-dispersive X-Ray (EDX) analysis system, the Thermo Scientific Ultra-X, with the largest detector area available in a commercially released STEM. Combined with the new objective lens design, the EDX detector architecture makes it possible to capture X-Rays twice as fast as currently available commercial solutions, allowing the analysis of more beam-sensitive materials and samples with previously undetectably low concentrations of trace elements.
Spectra Ultra builds on the advancements already available in the Thermo Scientific Themis and Spectra platforms, removing complexity so users can obtain quality data at high resolutions.
These breakthrough technologies can expand research possibilities for materials scientists. The minimal electron dose and time needed for EDX enables atomic-level analysis of beam-sensitive specimens. The flexibility to optimize imaging and analytical conditions in a single experiment means faster 3D characterization of both hard and soft materials within one sample, accelerating product development research. With increased throughput and detector collection efficiency, multiuser facilities can offer greater accessibility for a broad variety of projects.
For more information: Thermo Fisher Scientific
