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Built-in flexibility for advanced material imaging
The Thermo Scientific Quattro ESEM enables in situ heating and cooling experiments across a wide range of conditions, allowing you to observe changes in the surface, composition, and morphology of various materials as you adjust pressure, humidity, or temperature. The wide range of accessories supports characterization of bulk and thin materials in both traditional SEM imaging modes as well as transmission mode, if needed.
Temperature control
The Quattro ESEM’s advanced technologies support cooling and heating experiments on wet and dry materials to meet diverse research needs. The Peltier cooling stage is ideal for precise temperature control of wet materials, while Thermo Scientific WetSTEM Technology allows cooling in transmission mode when required. The Quattro ESEM provides various heating options to accommodate both bulk materials and powders. You can perform dynamic experiments at high temperatures in high vacuum using the high-vacuum heating stage or in low-vacuum/ESEM mode with heating stages capable of reaching up to 1,000°C and 1,400°C. Additionally, the Thermo Scientific µHeater Holder enables localized heating, offering enhanced control over temperature changes for more focused analyses. These tools provide flexibility and precision for thermal experiments in diverse conditions.
Secondary electron image of mold spores grown on a cheese sample. Imaging was conducted in ESEM mode under 500 Pa of pressure in cooling conditions at 2°C.
Secondary electron image showing the evolution of the morphology of a CoSb particle cluster during an in situ heating experiment. The left image shows the material at 500°C, while the right one has reached 700°C.
Multiple vacuum modes for high-pressure analysis
This system offers high, low, and environmental vacuum modes to help you work with extremely high pressures and a wide range of samples, especially samples that are wet, beam sensitive, outgassing, or otherwise not vacuum-compatible. Now you can minimize sample preparation time with a combination of high-vacuum, low-vacuum, and environmental modes and be free to image all materials without introducing artifacts of morphology changes that usually happen if wet samples are imaged under high vacuum.
Left: Microorganism in ash imaged in low vacuum mode with a pressure of 50 Pa. Middle: High-angle annular dark field STEM image of a cross section of a planarian imaged in high vacuum. Right: Beam-sensitive polymeric fibers imaged at 1 kV using beam deceleration to enhance surface details.
Combined EDS and in situ capabilities for maximum flexibility
Whether they involve temperature or pressure changes, dynamic in situ experiments can induce microstructural modification as well as phase transformation or grain growth. The Quattro ESEM comes with optional Thermo Scientific ChemiSEM Technology to provide chemical information and support a wide range of in situ cooling and heating experiments.
Performing EDS analyses while running dynamic experiments enables simultaneous chemical analysis, providing insights into element diffusion, segregation, or oxidation as a function of temperature. This dual capability enhances understanding of material behavior and supports more accurate predictions of performance in service environments.
Quantitative maps, together with the full package of features provided by ChemiSEM Technology, are available up to 400 to 450°C. For deeper insights into the development of new materials and rearrangement of elements, ChemiPhase provides the distribution of all the phases, together with their spectra and composition.
Development of a mix of metals (including silver, copper, tin and lead) during a heating experiment. Created with ChemiSEM Technology, the images show the distribution of all the elements in the area of interest at different temperatures, making it possible to understand how the different materials are evolving.
High resolution with minimum intervention
Whatever the sample, whatever mode you use, the Quattro ESEM delivers outstanding image quality and resolution with minimal user intervention. The flexible chamber allows multiple detectors to take your analysis even further while the advanced automation software helps you mitigate the challenges of conducting in situ experiments.
Built for your biggest needs
A defining challenge for all busy scientists is balancing the need for efficiency with the passion for scientific exploration and discovery. We developed the Quattro ESEM to give you the best of both worlds. It streamlines and automates repetitive tasks, expands your research horizons with its multi-modal capability, and frees up your time and energy to explore new opportunities and discover more advanced techniques.
Quattro ESEM technical specifications
| Quattro ESEM | |
| Sample size | Up to 122 mm diameter (larger samples possible with limited stage travel or rotation) |
Source type
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Schottky field emission source (FEG)
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| Max. resolution | 0.8 nm |
| Detectors and signals |
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Software options and accessories |
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| Footprint | 890 (w) x 1368 (d) x 1768 (h) mm, 800 kg |
| Acceleration voltage range | 200 V – 30 kV |
| Low-vacuum mode (stating pressure ranges) | Up to 200 Pa |
For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.