Bruker launched its E FlashHR system, a high-resolution, high-sensitivity detector that enables electron backscatter diffraction analysis (EBSD) on third-party electron microscopes, at Pittcon 2011.
With close to 2-megapixel resolution (1,600 x 1,200 pixels) in conjunction with high-quality camera optics yielding minimum pattern distortion, the E FlashHR is designed to tackle the most demanding tasks in EBSD analysis, include low-beam current and low-acceleration voltage applications, the analysis of poorly conducting samples, nanomaterial analysis, lattice strain investigation and phase identification.
The E FlashHR is said to complement the company's high-speed EBSD detector version - E Flash1000 - further increasing the versatility of the Bruker Crystalign EBSD system.
Like its high-speed counterpart, the E FlashHR detector enables the vertical shifting of the fluorescent screen during electron microscope operation, allowing the analysis of both large and very small samples at varying working distances and magnifications.
The E FlashHR detector features a software-controlled, high-precision motor drive with a travel length of 250mm.
Detector motion monitoring is integrated in an EBSD multi-level safety architecture that includes an LED screen position indicator, as well as visual and audio alarms.
Should the phosphor screen accidentally come into contact with the sample or the stage, the detector automatically retracts.
This protects the detector from damage and the user can easily replace the phosphor screen.
The E FlashHR can be equipped with Argus, Bruker's fore-scattered electron (FSE)/back-scattered electron (BSE) imaging system.
Consisting of five electron detectors arranged above and below the screen, Argus delivers real-time colour FSE images with excellent grain orientation contrast, as well as BSE images for density contrast.
The electron images provide useful supplemental information about the sample under investigation.
Dr Gert Nolze, global product manager for EBSD at Bruker Nano Analytics, said: 'The E FlashHR detector is a powerful addition to our Crystalign EBSD system and can serve a whole range of non-standard applications, where the emphasis is on resolution and sensitivity, rather than acquisition speed.
'With its ability to record 30fps at full resolution, and up to 160fps at 20 x 20 binning, the E FlashHR is also the fastest high-resolution EBSD detector currently available,' added Nolze.
