FEI Joins University of Ulm and CEOS on SALVE Project Research Collaboration
March 16 2015 - 9:00AM
The Sub-Ångström Low Voltage Electron
(SALVE) microscope should improve contrast and reduce damage on
bio-molecules and two-dimensional nanomaterials, such as
graphene
FEI (Nasdaq:FEIC) announced today that it has entered into an
agreement with Germany's University of Ulm and Heidelberg-based
CEOS GmbH to develop a sub-Ǻngström low-voltage electron
microscope, in the frame of Uni-Ulm's SALVE project. The multi-year
collaboration will involve the planned development of a dedicated
aberration-corrected transmission electron microscope (TEM) that is
capable of imaging radiation-sensitive materials, such as
two-dimensional (2D) and organic samples, and selected molecules,
with molecular or even atomic-scale resolution. The TEM is also
expected to provide spectroscopic information at very low
acceleration voltages.
"Current-generation TEMs typically operate at high voltages of
up to 300kV, which provides limited contrast and destroys
radiation-sensitive samples before they can be imaged," states
Trisha Rice, vice president and general manager of Materials
Science at FEI. "The SALVE project is focused on designing a TEM
that can operate at accelerating voltages as low as 20kV, enabling
it to provide new structural and spectroscopic information of
samples, which previously could not be imaged because they would be
destroyed at the higher voltages."
CEOS, which has expertise in corrected electron optical systems,
is focused on developing new optimized corrector technology to
compensate for the chromatic and spherical aberration at low
voltages. FEI will be developing the TEM system itself, which will
be based on a Titan™ 80-300 TEM platform, one of the world's first
and most powerful commercial aberration-corrected microscopes.
While the University of Ulm is working on application-related
development, including sample preparation methods and the theory of
imaging with low-energetic electrons.
"The SALVE project, financially supported by the German Research
Foundation (DFG) and the Ministry of Science, Research and the
Arts, Baden Württemberg, Germany, started in 2008 and progress has
been made," states the project leader, Professor Ute Kaiser,
Electron Microscopy Group of Materials Science, University of Ulm.
"We greatly appreciate that FEI has stepped in to build on these
developments and bring the SALVE project to its final phase. Our
keys to success is the ability to correct optical aberrations, the
stability of the microscope platform, and the progress in sample
preparation and contrast interpretation. As scientists, we hardly
can wait to operate the machine and to see what kinds of
ground-breaking discoveries we might possibly be able to
achieve."
Prof. Max Haider, CEOS, adds, "The SALVE project involves the
use of low accelerating voltages, which have been rarely used in
electron microscopes to date. We have had great success with our
spherical aberration correctors on FEI's Titan platform, and we
would like to extend that capability to correct the chromatic
aberration that dominates at low voltages. This new microscope
could open up entirely new fields in materials science, which
involve investigating materials that have been impossible to study
with existing microscope technology."
About the University of Ulm
The University of Ulm is situated in the east of
Baden-Württemberg at the river Danube. The research, studying, and
teaching activities concentrate on medicine, economics, natural
science, engineering and material science. About 10,000 students
are currently enlisted at the University of Ulm. The electron
microscopy group headed by Prof. Ute Kaiser is well-known for the
research in the field of low-voltage TEM and its application to
novel beam sensitive materials such as low-dimensional objects. The
group was one of the first adopters and users of
aberration-corrected TEM technology with the FEI Titan system
already in 2005. In 2008 Ute Kaiser started to establish the SALVE
project with the aim of developing the prerequisites for
transmission electron microscopy capable to reach atomic resolution
at 20 kV. More information can be found at:
www.salve-project.de.
About CEOS, GmbH
CEOS GmbH is a privately owned SME which concentrates on the
developments and research of advanced charged particle optical
components like aberration correctors for high resolution TEMs and
STEMs as well as SEMs. Most of these components are produced by
CEOS and after factory alignment and proper testing shipped as OEM
products to the EM manufacturers. CEOS is located in Heidelberg,
Germany and has more than 40 employees. More information can be
found at: www.ceos-gmbh.de.
About FEI
FEI Company (Nasdaq:FEIC) designs, manufactures and supports a
broad range of high-performance microscopy workflow solutions that
provide images and answers at the micro-, nano- and picometer
scales. Its innovation and leadership enable customers in industry
and science to increase productivity and make breakthrough
discoveries. Headquartered in Hillsboro, Ore., USA, FEI has over
2,600 employees and sales and service operations in more than 50
countries around the world. More information can be found at:
www.fei.com.
FEI Safe Harbor Statement
This news release contains forward-looking statements that
include statements regarding the performance capabilities and
benefits of the SALVE project and the Titan 80-300 TEM. Factors
that could affect these forward-looking statements include but are
not limited to our ability to manufacture, ship, deliver and
install the tools or software as expected; failure of the product
or technology to perform as expected; unexpected technology
problems and challenges; changes to the technology; the inability
of FEI, its suppliers or project partners to make the technological
advances required for the technology to achieve anticipated
results; and the inability of the customer to deploy the tools or
develop and deploy the expected new applications. Please also refer
to our Form 10-K, Forms 10-Q, Forms 8-K and other filings with the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for additional information
on these factors and other factors that could cause actual results
to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. FEI
assumes no duty to update forward-looking statements.
CONTACT: Sandy Fewkes (media contact)
MindWrite Communications, Inc.
+1 408 224 4024
sandy@mind-write.com
FEI Company
Jason Willey (investors and analysts)
Investor Relations Director
+1 503 726 2533
jason.willey@fei.com
Fei Company (MM) (NASDAQ:FEIC)
Historical Stock Chart
From Aug 2024 to Sep 2024
Fei Company (MM) (NASDAQ:FEIC)
Historical Stock Chart
From Sep 2023 to Sep 2024