Cryo-Electron Tomography Instruments

Cryo-electron tomography workflow

The Thermo Scientific cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) workflow is a complete end-to-end workflow covering cell culture to flash freezing cells to final 3D visualization and analysis. In the Thermo Scientific Arctis Cryo-Plasma-FIB, specially designed TomoGrids function to ensure correct lamella alignment to the tomographic tilt axis, from initial milling through high-resolution TEM imaging. The direct connection to any Autoloader-equipped cryo-TEM (e.g.,Thermo Scientific Krios or Thermo Scientific Glacios Cryo-TEMs) eliminates manual grid handling and transfer steps between FIB-SEM and TEM. Combined with Thermo Scientific Amira Software, you can visualize, analyze and obtain quantitative information from your images.

Cryo-FIB sample preparation

Thermo Fisher Scientific is the industry leader in focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) with 30 years of experience as part of our Thermo Scientific DualBeam product line. We offer a broad product portfolio and advanced automation capabilities for a range of applications, including transmission electron microscopy sample preparation as well as subsurface and 3D characterization. The addition of cryo-FIB technology has allowed the integrity of flash-frozen (vitrified) samples to be maintained for a variety of biological and life science applications.

Aquilos 2 Cryo-FIB

Dedicated cryo-FIB for cellular cryo-electron tomography sample preparation

The Thermo Scientific Aquilos 2 Cryo-FIB produces high-quality lamellae for cryo-ET. Key steps can be automated through user-friendly milling recipes.

Key features

  • Gallium FIB
  • iFLM Correlative System
  • Cryo-liftout
  • Cryo-rotation stage
  • Cryo-preparation and transfer station

Hydra Bio Plasma-FIB

Versatile plasma-FIB for multi-application labs

The Thermo Scientific Hydra Bio Plasma-FIB provides high-quality results for large volume microscopy and TEM lamella preparation, both at cryogenic and room temperatures.

Key features

  • Plasma-FIB (xenon, oxygen, argon, nitrogen)
  • iFLM Correlative System
  • Cryo-liftout
  • Cryo-rotation stage
  • Cryo-preparation and transfer station
  • Room temperature or cryo-conditions

Arctis Cryo-Plasma-FIB

Automated cryo-plasma-FIB for throughput and connectivity in the cryo-electron tomography workflow

The Thermo Scientific Arctis Cryo-Plasma-FIB automates high-throughput TEM lamellae production and features Autoloader connectivity for the cryo-ET workflow.

Key features

  • Plasma-FIB (xenon, oxygen, argon)
  • iFLM Correlative System
  • Autoloader with TomoGrids
  • Cryo CompuStage
  • Compact sample chamber and cryo-box
  • Biosafety enclosure

Cryo-transmission electron microscopes for cryo-ET

Glacios 2 Cryo-TEM

Key features for cryo-tomography

  • 200kV accelerating voltage                              
  • Autoloader with 12 grid capacity
  • Falcon 4i Direct Electron Detector
  • Selectris X Imaging Filter
3D visualization of a Golgi apparatus from the green alge Chlamydomonas reinhardtil using the Glacios 2 Cryo-TEM from a sample prepared with Thermo Scientific Aquilos Cryo-FIB. Data segmentation and visualization by Thermo Scientific Amira Software.

Krios G4 Cryo-TEM

Key features for cryo-tomography

  • 300kV accelerating voltage and optional cold field emission gun E-CFEG
  • Autoloader with 12 grid capacity
  • Falcon 4i Direct Electron Detector
  • Selectris X Imaging Filter
  • Biosafety-level containment facilities (e.g., BSL3)
3D visualization of a Golgi apparatus from the green alge Chlamydomonas reinhardtil. Data courtesy of Dr. Benjamin Engel, Department of Molecular Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany.

Selectris and Selectris X Imaging Filters

Designed for stability and speed, Thermo Scientific Selectris and Selectris X Imaging Filters are post-column imaging filters that improve the contrast of TEM images, resulting in high-resolution structures. Paired with the latest generation Thermo Scientific Falcon 4i Direct Electron Detector, Selectris Filters enable you to obtain high-resolution structures quickly, revealing new biological insights. To further increase the productivity and ease of use of your cryo-EM research, these filters are fully integrated into Thermo Scientific Tomography Software, and instrument operation software.

Heat decontamination for cryo-TEM

Our solution for 60°C heat decontamination allows installation of the Thermo Scientific Krios Cryo-Transmission Electron Microscope (Cryo-TEM) in higher biosafety-level containment facilities (e.g. BSL-3). For these installations, we offer a 60°C heat decontamination solution consisting of both hardware and software to heat the interior of the microscope enclosure.

Cryo-electron tomography software

Tomography 5 and Tomo Live Software

User-friendly batch acquisition software for cryo-electron tomography. Thermo Scientific Tomo Live Software is an optional add-on for Thermo Scientific Tomography 5 Software that enables on-the-fly quality monitoring of data generated with Tomography 5 Software by performing real-time reconstruction of tilt series into 3D volumes. 

Maps 3 Software: Correlative electron microscopy software

Thermo Scientific Maps Software is an imaging and correlative workflow software suite compatible with the full line of Thermo Scientific SEM, DualBeam (FIB SEM) and TEM platforms.

Amira Software

Powerful, multifaceted 2D–5D software for visualization, processing, and analysis of microscopy imaging. Thermo Scientific Amira Software delivers a comprehensive range of data visualization, processing, and analysis capabilities.

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.