Thermo Fisher Scientific unveiled its most advanced focused ion beam scanning electron microscope (FIB-SEM) for materials science researchers and engineers, the Thermo Scientific Helios 5 DualBeam microscope. The microscope allows users of all experience levels to generate higher-quality results than previous generations and is the first-ever commercially available DualBeam capable of unattended, fully automated, in situ preparation of location-specific ultra-thin samples for a wide range of materials.
“Scientists and engineers in academic institutions and research and development labs continue to push the boundaries in developing safer, stronger, more durable materials to help many industries advance their products,” said Mike Shafer, president, materials and structural analysis, Thermo Fisher Scientific. “The vastly improved ease-of-use and productivity enhancements in our new Helios 5 DualBeam microscope will help our materials science customers deliver the results they need to stay on the leading edge of discovery.”
By creating high-quality samples for atomic scale analysis in a transmission electron microscope, the Helios 5 DualBeam can assist materials science researchers working with multi-scale, multi-modal correlative workflows for the characterization of complex materials and provide 3D visualization at the nanometer scale. For engineers developing high strength steels, the Helios 5 can be used to build lighter, safer and less expensive cars. For researchers developing materials used in additive manufacturing, it can be used to build more complex parts for aircraft engines that offer better fuel efficiency.
Thermo Fisher designed advancements for the new Helios 5 to ensure the system’s operation is optimal for both manual and automated workflows. Those improvements include:
Greater ease-of-use: Improved accessibility for users of all experience levels reduces training requirements and enables consistent results on a wide variety of advanced applications. Operator training may be reduced from months to days and is designed to enable all operators to achieve consistent, repeatable results on a wide variety of advanced applications.
Increased productivity: Advanced automation capabilities, increased robustness and stability enhancements significantly increase the sample preparation throughput compared to prior models by allowing unattended and even overnight operation.
Improved time to results: The Helios 5 now includes FLASH, a new concept of tuning the image. With conventional microscopes, each time an operator needs to acquire an image, the microscope has to be carefully tuned by iterative adjustments to components in the microscope. A simple hand gesture across the Helios 5 screen will activate FLASH, which automatically adjusts the parameters needed to acquire a new image, improving throughput, data quality, and significantly simplifying the acquisition of high quality, high resolution images.
First shipments of the Helios 5 for materials science customers will take place this year. For more information, please visit thermofisher.com/helios5.
About Thermo Fisher Scientific
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with revenues of more than $24 billion and approximately 70,000 employees globally. Our mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. We help our customers accelerate life sciences research, solve complex analytical challenges, improve patient diagnostics, deliver medicines to market and increase laboratory productivity. Through our premier brands – Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific and Unity Lab Services – we offer an unmatched combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and comprehensive services. For more information, please visit www.thermofisher.com.
