Press Release
A new paper, “The Dublin Lens: A Cc = 1.0 mm Objective Lens Intended for CryoEM at 100 keV”, outlines a promising development in the drive to make low-voltage cryo-electron microscopy (cryoEM) more accessible. YPS contributed to this project through the supply of a Schottky field emission gun (FEG), used during the testing of the novel objective lens.
The study, led by researchers at Trinity College Dublin and the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, and supported by TurboTEM, YPS, and DECTRIS, introduces a lens with a chromatic aberration coefficient of 0.97 mm and a 4 mm pole gap. These characteristics allow for high-resolution imaging beyond 2 Å at just 100 keV, significantly lowering the energy barrier for detailed cryoEM imaging.
The YPS FEG, originally developed for earlier 100 keV cryoEM systems, played an important role in delivering the beam stability and imaging consistency needed for the tests. The experiments were carried out on a modified JEOL 1400(HR) transmission electron microscope equipped with a prototype hybrid-pixel detector from DECTRIS. Although YPS’s involvement formed part of a wider programme of work at the MRC, we are pleased that our FEG continues to perform well under demanding conditions.
This approach shows promise for making high-resolution cryoEM systems more affordable without compromising on performance, an area where YPS technologies can add value.
We’d like to thank the MRC and project collaborators for including our hardware in their efforts, and we look forward to seeing where this direction in low-voltage cryoEM research goes next.
Featured image: Figure 3 (b) – The Dublin Lens: A Cc = 1.0 mm Objective Lens Intended for CryoEM at 100 keV
About YPS
YPS Ltd. is a UK-based manufacturer of field emission sources and assemblies for advanced electron microscopy. Our field emission guns and high voltage power supplies are used by service companies, OEMs, and academic labs worldwide.