Company Announcements

In June, Nikon Instruments joined the BIO Business Solutions program, offering the Nikon Instruments Research Grade Microscope Systems Program.

In July, FEI and the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) announced a collaboration agreement to establish a new Centre of Excellence located at KAUST Research & Technology Park in Thuwal, Saudi Arabia. KAUST recently purchased three EM systems from FEI, which will join the existing 17 FEI EM systems KAUST has already installed at the site.

FEI and Cornell University entered into an agreement to commercialize a new EM pixel array detector for multichannel imaging analysis of material properties, such as electric and magnetic fields.

Gatan signed a joint sales and service agreement with 3D-Micromac for the microPREP laser ablation tool.

Leica Microsystems named Angstrom Scientific as its exclusive distribution partner for Life Science and Industrial EM Sample Preparation Solutions (ultramicrotomy and nanotechnology) in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Leica Microsystems named W. Nuhsbaum as a distributor for its forensic, industrial QC and materials science microscopy products in Tennessee.

Product Introductions

In June, CAMECA launched the EIKOS atom probe microscope, designed to provide increased access to atom probe tomography with greater ease of use and a low cost of ownership.

FEI introduced the Helios G4 DualBeam Series FIB/SEM for materials science. The FX model provides sub-3 Å STEM resolution, and combines sample preparation and imaging in one system.

In July, FEI released the Themis Z S/TEM, stating that it delivers the highest available specified performance among commercial offerings in image resolution, analytical speed and quality, and light-element imaging.

ZEISS and arivis introduced the InViewR virtual reality application for microscopy systems. Data can be visualized as volumes or segmented surfaces using 3-D glasses.

Hitachi High-Technologies and RIKEN launched the Mirror CLEM (Correlative Light and Electron Microscopy System) for simplifying CLEM as an option for its SU8200 Series of FE-SEMs. Projected sales are 50 sets per year.

Keysight Technologies introduced new capabilities for its 9500 AFM, including quantitative mapping of nanomechanical properties and electrochemistry applications, as part of the new NanoNavigator software.

Park Systems introduced the NX20 300 mm AFM, calling it the only research AFM capable of scanning the entire sample area of 300 mm wafers using a 300 mm vacuum chuck, while keeping the system noise below 0.5 Å root mean square.