FEI has announced the Magellan, an extreme-resolution scanning electron microscope (SEM) that allows life-science researchers and cell biologists to view a fully-hydrated cell's entire organisation.
The Magellan's workflow solution, which includes cryogenic sample preparation and handling, is a repeatable, optimised process to provide high-quality imaging and analysis results.
It provides high-throughput, sub-nanometer resolution even at low accelerating voltages, while maintaining the flexibility and ease-of-use that are characteristic of SEM technology.
This combination of ultra low-voltage imaging and high-resolution power, along with cryogenic sample preparation and handling, is suited to imaging fragile biological systems such as cells, viruses, plants and other living species.
Cryogenic sample preparation and handling are critical in life science applications in order to avoid the harsh chemical drying and fixing procedures otherwise required to make biological samples compatible with the vacuum environment of the SEM.
The Magellan cryo workflow starts with vitrification, a freezing process so fast that the water in the sample solidifies without causing visible crystals, thus avoiding the damage normally associated with ice formation.
Once the vitrified sample is transferred to the vacuum chamber, the Magellan delivers sub-nanometer imaging resolution over the full range of accelerating voltages, even below 1kV to 30kV.
Operation at low voltages is particularly important in reducing damage to delicate biological samples, improving resolution on light element materials and increasing the surface specificity of the imaging signal.
