August 04, 2008 02:30 PM Eastern Time 

Upgraded “LIBRA^® 120 PLUS” TEM Features Flexibility Tuned to Customer Needs

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--At the Microscopy and Microanalysis Meeting and Exhibition being held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Carl Zeiss SMT is introducing a major upgrade of its LIBRA^® 120 Energy Filter Transmission Electron Microscope (EFTEM).

The primary focus of the upgrade was a complete redesign of the microscope’s vacuum system – addressing frequent requests from customers and users. Thus the constantly increasing demands of revealing structural and 3-D information of beam sensitive or frozen hydrated samples at a nano scale can be achieved. At the same time, the range of magnification has been extended and an additional illumination mode, called “wide field illumination“ has been developed.

The completely dry, TMP based, new vacuum system excels through a sophisticated three step field-upgrade path, allowing customers to adapt the system to growing needs. Complemented by a highly flexible detector concept, this energy filtering TEM is an extremely versatile instrument in all areas requiring ease of use, high throughput and a broad range of applications. In particular many new applications, e.g. from the field of life science and soft matter, where advanced vacuum conditions are required, can now be addressed.

The integrated Koehler illumination system guarantees minimum beam damage, reproducible illumination conditions, and a permanently homogeneous and strictly parallel beam with exactly quantifiable dose rates. Invented by ZEISS, this concept is recognized as state of the art for light and electron microscopes.

The lifetime factory-aligned in-column OMEGA energy filter improves image contrast by completely eliminating chromatic aberrations. It provides a seamless integration and extends the LIBRA^® 120 PLUS to a fully analytical TEM enabling STEM, EDS, ESI and EELS.

About Carl Zeiss SMT

As the global leader in innovative lithography optics, as well as optical and particle-beam based inspection, analysis and measuring systems, Carl Zeiss SMT opens up new avenues for its customers in industrial manufacturing environments, quality assurance and industrial and academic R&D. Decades of market leadership are based on the success of its leading know-how in light, electron and ion-optical technologies. Together with its subsidiaries in Germany, England, France and the USA, the international group of companies has more than 2,500 employees. In fiscal year 2006/07, Carl Zeiss SMT AG generated revenues of over EUR 1 billion. Carl Zeiss SMT AG is a wholly owned subsidiary of Carl Zeiss AG. For further information, see: www.smt.zeiss.com.