Cryo-TEM designed for high resolution and throughput

The Thermo Scientific Glacios 2 Cryo-TEM showcases many of the advances that have made high-quality analysis possible on 200 kV instruments. The Glacios 2 Cryo-TEM provides near atomic resolution. With improved hardware and a new enclosure that minimizes environmental influences, the Glacios 2 Cryo-TEM now has an information limit of 2.1 Å. Similarly, transmission loss due to ice growth has been reduced to 2% over 24 hours, helping you collect more high-resolution images with less effort.


Glacios 2 Cryo-TEM highlights

The combination of the Thermo Scientific Selectris X Energy Filter with the Thermo Scientific Falcon 4i Direct Electron Detector, the newly designed enclosure, and Thermo Scientific Smart EPU Software work together to guide the microscope and user to get the best possible results from their samples. The Glacios 2 Cryo-TEM in combination with the Thermo Scientific low-energy-spread cold FEG (E-CFEG), Thermo Scientific Selectris X Energy Filter, the Thermo Scientific Falcon 4i Direct Electron Detector, the newly designed enclosure, and Thermo Scientific Smart EPU Software work together to guide the microscope and user to get the best possible results from their samples with unprecedented resolution, speed, and ease of use at 200 keV.

 

The Thermo Scientific E-CFEG is a cold field emission gun with a narrow energy spread that results in higher contrast images and higher resolution. This add-on makes it possible to efficiently solve structures at resolutions of 2.5 Å or less.

Apoferritin (450 kDa); Acquisition time: ~11 hours; 1.5 Å resolution; E-CFEG

Maximized productivity with automation

Smart EPU Software’s automation and AI-driven plugins guide you through critical decision points, and in some cases make decisions automatically, reducing the need for manual intervention.

Accelerated cryo-EM data collection

The Falcon 4i Direct Electron Detector can take up to 320 fps while fringe-free imaging and automation combined with Smart Plugins help your experiment move quickly from one step to the next.


Simplified cryo-EM workflows

Smart EPU Software assists with experimental set up and provides real-time feedback throughout the experiment, reducing the need for prior expertise.


Glacios 2 Cryo-TEM features

High-resolution TEM results

Hardware optimization has been focused on improved specificity and sensitivity in electron detection. For instance, the Falcon 4i Direct Electron Detector enables high detective quantum efficiency (DQE) across the full spectral range, capturing small, flexible proteins as well as larger structures using fewer images. When coupled with Selectris or Selectris X Energy Filters, signal is limited to the zero-loss, elastically scattered electrons, producing high-contrast TEM data for higher throughput and higher resolution structures. The optional, integrated E-CFEG has a lower energy spread and better coherence than a traditional Schottky FEG, which enables higher contrast at high resolutions (≤2.0 Å) and to reach higher resolutions in less time.

CDK-cyclin (85 kDa)

  • Acquisition time: ~22 hours
  • 2.3 Å resolution
  • X-FEG

Human Haemoglobin (64 kDa)

  • Acquisition time: ~20 hours
  • Resolution: 3.4 Å resolution
  • X-FEG

Proteasome 20S (700 kDa)

  • Acquisition time: ~12 hours
  • Resolution: 2.1 Å
  • X-FEG

High throughput cryo-TEM image acquisition

The integrated Falcon 4i Direct Electron Detector provides better image quality than its predecessors in less time. To further enhance productivity and image quality, the Glacios 2 Cryo-TEM offers fringe-free imaging (FFI) that eliminates fringes at the edge of the beam, a more stable stage, and faster automated data acquisition. Together, these improvements allow you to collect more images per foil hole and accelerate single particle analysis and cryo-ET. Adding the Selectris X Imaging Filter allows you to use a very stable narrow slit width (<10 eV) for an additional boost in contrast for single particle cryo-EM and cryo-ET, improving resolution and obtaining results faster with less data to maximize resolution.

Automated cryo-EM software maximizes ease of use and efficiency

Smart EPU Software enables faster and easier set up and processing, benefiting both expert and non-expert microscopists. Several critical set-up steps have been automated, such as alignment of the column and repair of system status, when possible. In addition, the software and various optional add-ons can help users get the most out of their microscope time and the best possible results.

  • EPU Multigrid software: EPU Multigrid Software allows users to take full advantage of their autoloader by enabling them to setup and queue multiple data acquisition experiments to run unattended and overnight.
  • EPU Quality Monitor: EPU Quality Monitor (EQM) Software analyzes and visualizes images on-the-fly, enabling users to judge image quality of running or completed acquisitions remotely.
  • Embedded CryoSPARC Live: Integrated real-time data analysis to monitor image and sample quality.

Cryo-EM sample screening and workflow connectivity

Sample screening is an essential component of successful cryo-EM workflows, allowing verification of sample quality in terms of both biochemistry and vitrification. The Glacios 2 Cryo-TEM fits seamlessly into single particle analysis and cryo-ET workflows with convenient and contamination-free sample transfer throughout the workflow.

 

The Glacios 2 Cryo-TEM easily connects to workflows on other Thermo Scientific instruments, including:

In addition to optimal mechanical connectivity, Smart EPU data management, powered by Thermo Scientific Athena Software, enables data connectivity for reproducible operation and storage of acquired data.

Smaller footprint

The hardware architecture of the Glacios 2 Cryo-TEM has been specifically designed with a smaller footprint and easier access path compared to other 200kV microscopes with automated sample loading systems.


Glacios 2 Cryo-TEM technical specifications

Source

  • High-brightness field emission gun (X-FEG)
  • Low Energy Spread cold FEG (E-CFEG)

Accelerating voltage

  • Flexible accelerating voltage from 80–200 kV

Cryo-Autoloader

  • Cryo-Autoloader for automated and contamination-free loading of cassettes containing up to 12 Autogrids

Lenses

  • Automatic condenser, objective, and SA apertures
  • Symmetric constant power objective lens (minimize image aberrations and lens hysteresis during mode switching)
  • Symmetric constant power C-TWIN objective lens with wide-gap pole piece (11 mm)

Stage

  • Computerized 4-axis specimen stage with ±70° alpha tilt
  • Cryo-stage with single-axis holder

Imaging

  • Rotation-free imaging upon magnification changes

Installation requirement highlights

  • Environmental temperature: 18°C–23°C
  • Door height: 2.32 m (optionally reduced to 2.00 m)
  • Door width: 0.99 m
  • Ceiling height: 2.80 m

AFIS (aberration-free image shift)

  • Enhancing throughput with shorter relaxation times when moving coma-free between grid holes

FFI (fringe-free imaging)

  • Fringe-free imaging (FFI) for multiple image acquisitions per grid hole

Smart EPU Software

  • EPU 3 Software for automated sample screening and data acquisition (includes open application programming interface)
  • EPU Multigrid functionality (optional)
  • EPU Quality Monitor Software (optional)
  • Embedded CryoSPARC Live (optional)

Additional components

  • Primary control unit with two 24” monitors to be placed within 10 m of the column

Detectors (optional)

  • Falcon 4i Direct Electron Detector
  • Thermo Scientific Ceta-D Camera
  • Thermo Scientific Ceta-M Camera
  • HAADF STEM detectors*
  • On-axis BF/DF detectors*
  • *STEM is not compatible with FFI

Energy filter (optional)

  • Selectris and Selectris X Imaging Filters