HILLSBORO, Ore., July 27, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FEI Company (Nasdaq:FEIC), a leading provider of atomic-scale imaging and analysis systems, today announced the release of the Titan(tm) G2 scanning/transmission electron microscope (S/TEM) Family, inaugurating the second generation of the company's revolutionary Titan platform -- the world's most powerful commercially-available microscope. The Titan G2 incorporates a number of innovative technology modules in order to deliver resolutions down to 70pm (0.7 Angstrom) in both STEM and TEM, thus offering the ultimate in aberration-corrected S/TEM performance.
Dominique Hubert, FEI's vice president and general manager of the Research Market Division, adds, "The TEM market was afforded routine sub-Angstrom resolution with the Titan platform in 2005. It has enabled researchers to see details never seen before with numerous leading scientific papers to testify its success in materials research. The next-generation Titan G2 Family has now arrived, and it further expands the limits of performance while maintaining the Titan philosophy to put materials science first. For our customers, this means combining deep sub-Angstrom resolution with the ability to collect the most materials information on the broadest range of samples."
Hubert adds, "Flexibility is key in materials research and analysis. With Titan G2, users can choose the performance, application and information optimized for their material. We have further extended the minimum accelerating voltage down to 60 kiloVolt (kV), in response to intense research interest in low voltage microscopy results obtained on the first generation Titan family. The broadest available high tension range of 60-300 kV offered by the Titan G2 will allow our customers to make the best choice for each sample."
The Titan G2 60-300 Family offers the choice of second-generation spherical-aberration (Cs) probe and Cs image correction, and in the base configuration, it delivers 80pm specified resolution in both TEM and STEM operation. With the addition of novel FEI proprietary technology modules, such as a high brightness electron source, a monochromator and an environmentally-isolated microscope enclosure (Titan3(tm) G2 60-300), specified resolution improves to 70pm in either STEM or TEM modes. This configuration delivers the ultimate commercial S/TEM performance, setting records in spatial resolution, energy resolution for analytics and high tension range. Further, the environmentally-isolated configuration is equipped with a unique, fully-remote operation capability, ideal for maintaining the microscope under stable conditions, and can also be used for sharing the results in real-time across a collaborative team that is spread across a number of locations.
"The Titan G2 can truly deliver a new generation of results in microscopy," said Mike Scheinfein, FEI's chief technology officer. "Perhaps the most exciting aspect of the G2's ultimate performance is not its sub-Angstrom resolution capability, but the fact that it delivers unprecedented sensitivity and precision at the sub-atomic level as well. Our customers and partners helping us to test these advanced technologies have already shown that they are enabling breakthrough microscopy results, such as single atom detection across a broad range of the periodic table, and quantitative microscopy with experimental precision at the 5pm level."
The Titan G2 platform is available for ordering immediately. For more information, please visit: www.fei.com.
About FEI
FEI (Nasdaq:FEIC) is a leading diversified scientific instruments company. It is a premier provider of electron and ion-beam microscopes and tools for nanoscale applications across many industries: industrial and academic materials research, life sciences, semiconductors, data storage, natural resources and more. With a 60-year history of technological innovation and leadership, FEI has set the performance standard in transmission electron microscopes (TEM), scanning electron microscopes (SEM) and DualBeams(tm), which combine a SEM with a focused ion beam (FIB). FEI's imaging systems provide 3D characterization, analysis and modification/prototyping with resolutions down to the sub-Angstrom (one-tenth of a nanometer) level. FEI's NanoPorts in North America, Europe and Asia provide centers of technical excellence where its world-class community of customers and specialists collaborate. FEI has approximately 1800 employees and sales and service operations in more than 50 countries around the world. More information can be found at: www.fei.com.
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FEI Safe Harbor Statement
This news release contains forward-looking statements that include statements regarding the performance capabilities and benefits of the Titan G2 S/TEM Family and anticipated availability date. Factors that could affect these forward-looking statements include but are not limited to failure of the product or technology to perform as expected and achieve anticipated results, unexpected technology problems and our ability to manufacture, ship and deliver the tools as expected. Please also refer to our Form 10-K, Forms 10-Q, Forms 8-K and other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for additional information on these factors and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. FEI assumes no duty to update forward-looking statements.