Microscience Microscopy Congress 2025 - Workshops

Multiscale materials characterization and high-quality TEM sample preparation using our latest multibeam system Helios 5 Laser Hydra System
Location: Workshop Room 1
Time: 11:00–11:30

The latest Thermo Scientific Helios 5 Laser Hydra System features an ultra-high-resolution monochromated SEM column, multiple ion species plasma FIB (PFIB) column, and advanced femtosecond laser beam. This unique multibeam system opens access to new frontiers for scientific research. The advent of conventional Ga FIB-SEM allows for automated serial sectioning tomography of material volumes ~ 40 × 40 × 40 µm³. Plasma FIB-SEM expands these techniques to volume ~ 250 × 250 × 250 µm³, keeping the voxels sizes in the dozens of nanometers range. The Helios 5 Laser Hydra System pushes these 3D techniques further to millimeter-scale volumes, setting the standards for multi-modal data collection from nanometer to millimeter scales. Areas of up to several millimeters in diameter can be exposed in a few minutes by the femtosecond laser with a high-quality cut face ready for EBSD/EDS analysis. The innovative availability of multiple ions (xenon, argon, oxygen, and nitrogen) allows you to flexibly select the ideal ion species in a fast and easy manner to achieve high sample preparation quality. By combining the advanced capability of the femtosecond laser and multiple ion species plasma source, the Helios 5 Laser Hydra System enables you to quickly reach regions of interests buried deep in the materials, conduct site-specific TEM sample preparation, and achieve high-quality TEM lamellae fabrication by using various plasma ions including argon for final low-kV polishing. Join our workshop and learn how this novel technology will significantly expand the application space and help scientists to perform fundamental and applied research.

No registration required.

Expanding the Frontiers of Cellular Imaging: AI-assisted FIB-SEM Workflows with the Hydra Bio Plasma-FIB
Location: Workshop Room 1
Time: 12:30–13:00

Volume electron microscopy (vEM) is essential for high-resolution imaging of cellular and tissue samples, enabling detailed exploration of subcellular structures. Focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) is particularly effective when high-resolution 3D insights are required.

The Thermo Scientific Hydra Bio Plasma-FIB offers versatility in both vEM and lamella preparation at cryogenic and room temperatures. It supports a range of ion species (argon, nitrogen, oxygen, and xenon) to allow optimized imaging and sample preparation capabilities in all sample types. Whether you are interested in high-resolution and large-area serial PFIB imaging, array tomography, correlative microscopy, or optimized lamella preparation for cryo-tomography, the Hydra Bio Plasma-FIB is the tool of choice.

Using conventional FIB-SEM, bottlenecks are frequently encountered that impede throughput and image quality. The Hydra Bio Plasma-FIB, combined with AI-driven acquisition protocols, offers new strategies for volume acquisition to improve reliability and throughput.

Using adaptive scanning, the instrument is trained to recognize features of interest in your specimen. As your acquisition progresses, these features are tracked and captured at high resolution and the remaining volume is imaged with lower resolution. You gain high-resolution insights of your structures of interest while keeping the context of the larger specimen and significantly reducing your acquisition time for room-temperature volume EM.

For cryo-prepared specimens, real-time AI analysis plays a crucial role in adjusting auto-functions to effectively mitigate the impact of sample variability, an essential advantage in unattended, large-volume acquisition of cryo-prepared specimens.

Join this workshop to discover the benefits of using plasma for FIB acquisition of biological specimens and the transformative impact of AI on volume EM acquisitions.

No registration required.

Apreo ChemiSEM: Smarter Imaging and Direct Electron Detection EBSD for Material Characterization
Location: Workshop Room 1
Time: 13:00–13:30

This session will present the latest advancements in material characterization using the Apreo ChemiSEM, focusing on its Trinity detection system, direct electron detection for EBSD, and real-time elemental analysis with integrated EDS.

The Trinity detection system, with three in lens detectors leveraging advanced column design, provides multiple imaging modalities for optimal contrast and resolution across a wide range of material types, including amorphous, non-conductive, and porous structures. The talk will also explore dedicated Smart Imaging strategies and automated real-time image optimization techniques. Additionally, we will discuss the integration of automated analytical workflows for material science applications, including real-time EDS elemental mapping. Finally, we will introduce TruePix-based electron counting, which enables systematic diffraction pattern analysis by detecting every electron above a threshold.

The use of low-kV direct electron detection EBSD will be highlighted, demonstrating its benefits for beam-sensitive materials and high-resolution crystallographic analysis. We will define the Median Electron Count (MEC) metric in EBSP, examining its applications in both SEM imaging and the characterization of 2D material layer thicknesses.

No registration required.
 

Figure 1. Median electron counts (MEC) for a Ni sample at 20 kV as detected using the TruePix Direct Electron EBSD system. 5 MEC equates to approximately 300,000 electrons, whereas 1,000 MEC shows approximately 65 million electrons in a diffraction pattern and shows many fine details.

Amira Software: Advanced 3D Visualization and AI-Powered Segmentation
Location: Workshop Room 1
Time: 11:15–11:45

Understanding life sciences’ complex cellular architectures and microstructures is crucial. Traditional image processing techniques often fall short when segmenting extremely large volumes of data from EM images. Thermo Scientific Amira Software addresses this challenge by integrating advanced AI tools and deep learning algorithms for segmentation. These AI-powered solutions significantly enhance the segmentation and comprehension of intricate biological images. The software’s excellent 3D visualization capabilities, combined with its user-friendly interface and comprehensive toolsets, streamline workflows, allowing you to focus on groundbreaking discoveries and advancements in your studies.

No registration required.

Unlocking Cellular Secrets: The Powerful Combination of Cryo-Tomography and Volume Electron Microscopy
Location: Workshop Room 1
Time: 11:45–12:15

Visualizing cellular architecture at nanometer resolution is fundamental for understanding complex biological processes. The combination of volume electron microscopy (vEM) and cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) offers a powerful way to mix the broad contextual imaging of vEM with the molecular-level detail of cryo-ET, enabling you to visualize cellular landscapes across length scales in their native state.

vEM techniques, such as focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM), provide three-dimensional reconstructions of cellular environments with nanometer precision, offering essential context to ultrastructural details. However, while vEM captures the overall cellular architecture, it lacks the molecular resolution necessary for studying macromolecular complexes. Cryo-ET fills this gap by imaging biomolecules in near-native conditions, though it is constrained by the requirement for very thin sample sections. The combined information generated from these techniques creates a comprehensive view that spans from cellular organization down to molecular interactions.

Key to the success of these approaches is generating enough datapoints for statistically relevant data. High-quality cryo-lamella preparation and robust, contamination-free transfer of the lamellae to the TEM ensures the tomography workflow can deliver the throughput of high-quality datasets necessary for this statistical significance. The combination of the Arctis Cryo-Plasma FIB and the Krios Cryo-TEM with the new vacuum capsule delivers these requirements and has set cryo-ET on a path for uncovering new and exciting cellular biology at the molecular scale. They Hydra Bio Plasma-FIB is also furnished with new features to support the generation of larger cryo volumes using real-time AI analysis.

Join this workshop to hear about the synergistic application of vEM and cryo-ET and to learn of the transformative impact this is having on our understanding of cell biology.

No registration required.

Revolutionizing materials science with advanced AI tools in Avizo Software
Location: Workshop Room 1
Time: 12:15–12:45

Understanding the intricate details of various material structures is essential. Traditional image processing techniques are often limited in their ability to segment data generated by EM images. Thermo Scientific Avizo Software overcomes this limitation by incorporating advanced AI tools and deep learning algorithms for segmentation. These AI-powered solutions enable precise segmentation and analysis of complex material structures, including battery cathodes and anodes, metal alloys, and porous materials. As a multimodal image analysis tool, Avizo Software excels in 3D visualization and can process a wide range of image data, including but not limited to, uCT, SEM, FIB-SEM, TEM, and spectroscopy datasets such as EDS. With its intuitive interface and comprehensive AI-driven toolsets, Avizo Software optimizes workflows, empowering you to focus on innovative discoveries and advancements in your field.

No registration required.