Thermo Scientific Aquilos 2 Cryo-FIB
Specifications
- Dual-beam cryogenic FIB/SEM system
- Electron-column accelerating voltage up to 30 kV
- X-FEG electron source
- Gallium focused-ion-beam column
- Cryogenic specimen stage
- Integrated fluorescence microscope with four fluorescence wavelengths
- Capability for cryogenic lift-out experiments
- Automated or semi-automated lamella-milling workflows
Main Applications
The Aquilos 2 is dedicated to the preparation of thin, electron-transparent cryogenic lamellae from vitrified biological samples.
Applications include:
- Cryo-FIB milling of cells grown on electron microscopy grids
- Preparation of lamellae from bacteria, organelles, tissues, and other relatively thick specimens
- Targeted milling guided by fluorescence microscopy
- Preparation of samples for cellular cryo-electron tomography
- Cryogenic lift-out from bulk-frozen specimens
- Preparation of lamellae for MicroED
- Correlative cryogenic fluorescence, electron, and ion-beam imaging
In a typical workflow, a vitrified cell or biological specimen is first imaged by scanning electron microscopy. Fluorescence information may then be used to identify a region of interest. Material surrounding this region is progressively removed with the focused gallium ion beam until a thin lamella suitable for cryo-TEM imaging and tomography is obtained.
The Aquilos 2 is specifically designed for the preparation of electron-transparent lamellae for high-resolution cellular cryo-electron tomography. Its integrated fluorescence capabilities facilitate correlation and targeting without requiring repeated transfers between independent imaging systems.