Search

  • Order Status
  • Quick Order

Falcon 4i Direct Electron Detector

Direct electron detector camera for cryo-EM

The Thermo Scientific Falcon 4i Direct Electron Detector is an ideal solution for your single particle analysis  and  cryo-tomography applications. With its exceptional combination of high image quality, high throughput, efficient lossless data compression enabled via electron-event representation (EER), and a streamlined solution for data management and quality monitoring, the Falcon 4i Detector offers a productivity and performance boost over other detectors.

 

When the Falcon 4i Direct Electron Detector is paired with the Thermo Scientific Selectris and Selectris X Imaging Filters, you can obtain high-resolution structures quickly, revealing new biological insights. To further increase productivity, the Falcon 4i Detector is fully integrated in Thermo Scientific EPU and Tomography Software, allowing for smooth daily instrument operation and data acquisition. The camera’s output is recorded through the Data Management Platform (DMP) powered by Thermo Scientific CryoFlow Software that offers easy project administration and automated organization of images and metadata for remote and collaborative access.

Note: The Falcon 4i Direct Electron Detector is fully compatible with the latest-generation 200 kV and 300 kV Thermo Scientific Krios, Glacios, and Talos Cryo-Transmission Electron Microscopes (Cryo-TEMs) operating with Windows 10. A Falcon 4i Upgrade Kit is available for the Falcon 4 Direct Electron Detector and Thermo Scientific Selectris and Selectris X Imaging Filters.

Key features of the Falcon 4i Direct Electron Detector

Exceptional image quality through higher DQE

Get leading detective quantum efficiency (DQE) across the full spatial frequency range. High DQE at low spatial frequency lets you visualize and align smaller and more flexible proteins, while high DQE at high spatial frequencies lets you achieve results with fewer images or increased resolution.

Large pixels with high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)

The large signal generated by the Falcon 4i Detector’s large pixels, combined with low noise, yields high SNR. Electron events can be unambiguously separated from the background noise (left) in comparison to detectors with smaller pixels (right).

Higher throughput for more images per hour


The increased internal frame rate, in combination with improved overhead, yields a significant increase in throughput, depending on the use case.

Lossless data compression with electron-event representation (EER)

Electron-event representation (EER) data enables efficient cryo-EM file storage with full preservation of spatial and temporal resolution. Counted events of all raw frames are available for processing with full temporal resolution (320 fps) and spatial resolution (events are localized to one-sixteenth of a pixel). This super resolution capability maximizes the benefit of the Falcon 4i Detector’s superior DQE at high spatial frequencies.

Sample data using the Falcon 4i Direct Electron Detector

Apoferritin 1.2 Å reconstruction

This 1.2 Å resolution reconstruction of apoferritin was created from 3,600 images of 297k particles acquired in 6 hours (EPU Software data acquisition on the Krios Cryo-TEM). Recorded at a dose rate of 5.4 e/p/s.

Amyloid- β 42 filament 2.5 Å reconstruction

Cryo-EM structures of Amyloid-β 42 filaments isolated from human brain. Data was collected at a flux of 8 e/p/s; magnification of 0.74 A/pix; 40 e/A² total dose and a throughout of 570 movies/hr resulting into a 2.5 Å reconstruction. (Data collected in collaboration with MRC – Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge).

Homopentameric GABAA receptor at 2.1Å resolution

3D SPA reconstruction of the Homopentameric GABAA receptor at 2.1Å resolution. Images were acquired on a Krios Cryo-TEM with the Falcon Direct Electron Detector 4 Camera and EER and processed with Relion 3. Image courtesy of: Radu Aricescu, MRC-LMB Cambridge, UK and Abhay Kotecha, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Eindhoven, Netherlands.

Falcon 4i Direct Electron Detector specifications

Camera architecture Direct electron detection
Sensor size 4,096 x 4,096 pixels, ~5.7 cm x 5.7 cm2
Pixel size 14 x 14 μm2
TEM operating voltage 200 kV, 300 kV
Internal frame rate 320 fps
Frame rate to storage 320 fps (EER mode)
Camera overhead time 0.5 s per acquisition
File formats EER (native), MRC, TIFF, LZW TIFF
Lifetime (<10% DQE degradation) 5 years in normal use (1.5Ge/px)
Detection modes

Electron counting mode

Survey mode (fast linear mode)
Imaging performance in EER mode (4k x 4k) 300 kV 200 kV
DQE (0) 0.92 0.91
DQE (½ Nq) 0.72 0.62
DQE (1 Nq) 0.50 0.33

Product documentation

Falcon 4i Detector datasheet

Improving Productivity with fringe-free imaging (FFI)

Frequently asked questions about the Falcon 4i Direct Electron Detector

The Thermo Scientific Falcon 4i Direct Electron Detector is an electron counting camera designed for cryo-electron microscopy, including single particle analysis and cryo-electron tomography. Its 4,096 × 4,096 pixel sensor uses large 14 × 14 µm² pixels, resulting in high signal-to-noise ratio detection and optimized electron-event localization across the spatial frequency range. The Falcon 4i Detector supports efficient, high-throughput acquisition of data for high-resolution cryo-EM workflows.

Electron Event Representation (EER) is the native data format used by the Falcon 4i Direct Electron Detector. EER files contain the localization and time of counted electron events, preserving full temporal resolution and fine spatial information for downstream processing. This supports upsampling up to 16k x 16k pixels to suppress aliasing and preserve high-frequency information, helping you make full use of the detector’s high DQE. Since the EER format retains information with single-frame precision, dose fractionation does not need to be set up prior to acquisition and can be optimized and even changed during the course of image processing. 

 

The EER file format is supported by common cryo-EM data processing tools, including RELION, cryoSPARC, IMOD, and Warp, so users can retain the advantages of EER data throughout single particle analysis and cryo-electron tomography workflows. When needed, EER images can also be converted into other image formats such as MRC, TIFF, and LZW-compressed TIFF.

Yes, the Falcon 4i Detector is fully compatible with Thermo Scientific EPU Software and Tomography Software, enabling automated runs and unattended data acquisition for single particle analysis and cryo-electron tomography. Third-party acquisition solutions can also be supported through a scripting interface. During acquisition, camera output is captured through the Thermo Scientific Data Management Platform, which organizes project data and metadata and supports viewing, sharing, and collaborative review at the microscope or through secure remote access.

The Thermo Scientific Selectris Energy Filter is a post-column energy filter that uses zero-loss filtering to remove inelastically scattered electrons from the image-forming signal. This increases image contrast and signal-to-noise ratio, which is especially valuable for thick samples and for imaging closer to focus. Combined with the Falcon 4i Detector, the Selectris Energy Filter helps you get the most out of challenging cryo-ET samples and enhances the resolution of single particle analysis.

The Falcon 4i Direct Electron Detector is fully compatible with our latest Thermo Scientific 200 and 300 kV cryo-TEM platforms, including Thermo Scientific Krios, Glacios, and Talos Cryo-TEMs utilizing a Windows 10 operating system. For upgrades of existing instruments, compatibility should be confirmed for the specific microscope configuration.

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.