AMBER 2 debuts at M&M 2024 with New Tools for TEM Sample Preparation 

TESCAN, a leading provider of scientific instrumentation, announces the launch of the TESCAN AMBER 2, the fourth generation of the TESCAN gallium FIB-SEM platform and the successor to the current AMBER generation, at the Microscopy & Microanalysis (M&M) Expo 2024.  

Alongside AMBER 2, TESCAN is also unveiling two new integrated innovative tools: AURA Gentle Ion Beam system, for minimizing gallium FIB induced damage in TEM specimen preparation, and TEM AutoPrep Pro^TM software, for automating and optimizing the entire TEM sample preparation process.

Introducing AMBER 2: Perfecting TEM/STEM Sample Preparation and Nanoprototyping 

The original TESCAN AMBER, introduced in 2019, set new standards in materials nanocharacterization with its ultra-high-resolution SEM and advanced Ga+ FIB.  

AMBER 2 builds on this legacy with enhanced automation and usability, ensuring precise and efficient sample preparation and 3D analysis. 

By streamlining operations with fully automated functions, AMBER 2 reduces complexity for all users. Its advanced automation capabilities allow for routine sample preparation and overnight usage, significantly boosting lab productivity. The system also enhances materials surface characterization with an improved detection system and expands capabilities for prototyping applications such as electron beam lithography. 

Newly Enhanced Features of TESCAN AMBER 2 

Leveraging an AI-driven approach and an extensive material library, AMBER 2 ensures reliable, fully automated sample preparation across a wide range of materials. Additionally, the integration of a beam blanker on the new generation BrightBeam™ SEM column facilitates effective nanoprototyping through electron beam lithography. AMBER 2 also serves as an excellent entry point for those looking to perform FIB-SEM characterization from micron scale to the nanoscale.

Key Features of TESCAN AMBER 2 

• Enhanced Automation: Fully automated processes minimize user intervention and maximize efficiency. 
• User-Friendly Interface: Intuitive design for both beginners and advanced users. 
• Overnight Operation: Performs automated tasks overnight, increasing lab productivity. 
• Precise Sample Preparation: Maintains high resolution and accuracy in sample preparation and imaging. 
• Optimized Prototyping: Expands possibilities for prototyping techniques. 

Launch of Two New Tools: AURA Gentle Ion Beam and TEM AutoPrep Pro™ 

Alongside AMBER 2, TESCAN introduces AURA Gentle Ion Beam and TEM AutoPrep Pro^TM.

TESCAN AURA Gentle Ion Beam powered by Technoorgs technology

AURA Gentle Ion Beam sets a new benchmark for TEM specimen preparation. The AURA Gentle Ion Beam system enhances TEM specimen preparation by integrating established Argon ion beam technology, efficiently operating at typical energies as low as 200 eV. This ensures minimal amorphization damage and preserves the crystalline structure of samples, crucial for high-resolution STEM/TEM imaging. It integrates seamlessly with TESCAN FIB-SEMs, offering ultra-thin specimen preparation with superior quality and efficiency. 

TESCAN TEM AutoPrep Pro^TM 

TEM AutoPrep Pro™ software leverages AI and TESCAN Essence™ software to automate TEM sample preparation, accommodating diverse materials and enabling unattended operations. This system enhances productivity by automatically performing tasks such as milling, lift out, trimming, and polishing during overnight runs, ensuring high-quality TEM lamellae with minimal training or interaction required. 

Vratislav Kostal, Leader of TESCAN’s Electron Microscopy Business Unit, comments: “The integration of the AURA Gentle Ion Beam, developed with Technoorg Linda, allows the final polishing step of TEM lamella preparation to be conducted without breaking vacuum or transferring the grid to a stand-alone device.” 

Andras Szigethy, CEO of Technoorg Linda, adds: “The collaboration with TESCAN has culminated in a breakthrough for TEM specimen preparation, ensuring researchers can achieve unprecedented levels of sample quality and preparation efficiency.” 

AMBER 2 will be Unveiled at M&M 2024 

The official launch of TESCAN AMBER 2 will take place at the M&M 2024 Expo. We invite you to attend our presentation, book a demo, and participate in talks to learn how TESCAN AMBER 2 and our new tools can transform your research. 

About TESCAN GROUP  

TESCAN was established in 1991 and has grown from a 4-5 engineer start-up initially, to a company with more than 700 employees working from more than 10 facilities in 8 countries. We are a leading player in charged-particle optical instrumentation, including Scanning and Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (SEM & STEM), Focused Ion Beam (FIB) and X-ray Computed Tomography (micro-CT), with more than 4000 instruments sold and operational in more than 80 countries.  

In 2013, it expanded by merging with ORSAY PHYSICS, a French global leader in customized focused ion and electron beam technologies, and in 2018 by acquiring XRE, a Belgian innovator in the field of Dynamic and micro-CT technologies. A further, more recent milestone was the acquisition in 2023 of TESCAN ORSAY HOLDING and all its subsidiaries by CARLYLE, a US private equity company. TESCAN GROUP is headquartered in Brno, Czech Republic, where most of our instruments are expertly assembled, tested, and shipped to customers across the globe.