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Related Concept Videos

Overview of Electron Microscopy01:25

Overview of Electron Microscopy

The wavelengths of visible light ultimately limit the maximum theoretical resolution of images created by light microscopes. Most light microscopes can only magnify 1000X, and a few can magnify up to 1500X. Electrons, like electromagnetic radiation, can behave like waves, but with wavelengths of 0.005 nm, they produce significantly greater resolution up to 0.05 nm as compared to 500 nm for visible light. An electron microscope (EM) can create a sharp image that is magnified up to 2,000,000X.
Scanning Electron Microscopy01:07

Scanning Electron Microscopy

A scanning electron microscope (SEM) is used to study the surface features of a sample by using an electron beam that scans the sample surface in a two-dimensional manner. Typically, areas between ~1 centimeter to 5 micrometers in width can be imaged. SEM can be used to image bacteria, viruses, tissues as well as larger samples like insects. Conventional SEM gives a magnification ranging from 20X to 30,000X and spatial resolution of 50 to 100 nanometers.
Fundamental Principles
Accelerated...
Transmission Electron Microscopy01:15

Transmission Electron Microscopy

In 1931, physicist Ernst Ruska—building on the idea that magnetic fields can direct an electron beam just as lenses can direct a beam of light in an optical microscope—developed the first prototype of the electron microscope. This development led to the development of the field of electron microscopy. In the transmission electron microscope (TEM), electrons are produced by a hot tungsten element and accelerated by a potential difference in an electron gun, which gives them up to 400 keV in...
High-Performance Liquid Chromatography: Types of Detectors01:15

High-Performance Liquid Chromatography: Types of Detectors

The role of the detectors in High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) is to analyze the solutes as they exit from the chromatographic column. The detector recognizes the solute's property and generates corresponding electrical signals, which are converted into a readable graph of the detector's response versus elution time called a chromatogram at the computer. There are several types of HPLC detectors, each with its own advantages and limitations, depending on the analyte properties and...
Immunogold Electron Microscopy01:20

Immunogold Electron Microscopy

Immunoelectron microscopy utilizes immunogold labeling of endogenous proteins with specific antibodies to detect and localize these proteins in cells and tissues. The procedure provides insights into the distribution and quantification of protein under different stimulation conditions offering clues about their functions. Conjugating highly electron-dense gold particles with primary or secondary antibodies allow antigen detection on and within cells, with high resolution and specificity.
Gas Chromatography: Types of Detectors-II01:19

Gas Chromatography: Types of Detectors-II

In gas chromatography, different detectors are employed to meet specific analytical needs. These detectors are often categorized based on their detection mechanisms and the types of compounds they are best suited to analyze. Thermal Conductivity Detectors (TCD), Flame Ionization Detectors (FID), and Electron Capture Detectors (ECD) represent common categories, each with unique operating principles and applications. However, beyond these, several other detectors are designed for more specialized...

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Microcrystal Electron Diffraction of Small Molecules
09:48

Microcrystal Electron Diffraction of Small Molecules

Published on: March 15, 2021

Electronic detectors for electron microscopy.

A R Faruqi1, G McMullan

  • 1MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK. arf@mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk

Quarterly Reviews of Biophysics
|April 29, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

New electronic detectors enhance electron microscopy (EM) for radiation-sensitive samples. Monolithic active pixel sensors (MAPS) are ideal for high-energy applications, while Medipix2 excels at lower energies and low count rates.

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Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Biophysics
  • Instrumentation

Background:

  • Electron microscopy (EM) is crucial for high-resolution structure determination across various scientific fields.
  • Traditional electronic detectors like charge-coupled devices (CCDs) are adequate for many EM applications.
  • Film detectors are still preferred for radiation-sensitive samples in EM, highlighting a need for improved detector technology.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate advanced electronic detectors for electron microscopy (EM), focusing on applications involving radiation-sensitive samples.
  • To compare the performance of monolithic active pixel sensors (MAPS) and hybrid pixel detectors (Medipix2) against traditional methods.
  • To assess detector suitability across a range of electron energies (40-300 keV).

Main Methods:

  • Performance evaluation of back-thinned MAPS and Medipix2 hybrid pixel detectors.
  • Characterization of detector performance using modulation transfer function (MTF) and detective quantum efficiency (DQE).
  • Testing across a spectrum of electron energies from 40 keV to 300 keV.

Main Results:

  • A back-thinned MAPS detector demonstrates suitability for replacing film in high-energy (300 keV) EM of radiation-sensitive samples.
  • The Medipix2 detector is well-suited for lower energy applications and scenarios with very low electron count rates.
  • Detector performance, assessed by MTF and DQE, varies significantly with electron energy and spatial frequency.

Conclusions:

  • Advanced pixel detectors offer significant advantages over film for specific EM applications, particularly for radiation-sensitive biological samples.
  • MAPS and Medipix2 represent promising alternatives to existing EM detectors, each with distinct strengths for different experimental conditions.
  • The choice of detector technology in EM should be guided by the specific electron energy and count rate requirements of the application.