JEOL has launched a joint initiative with Gatan that will allow researchers to image 3D structures of biological and materials samples at ultrahigh resolution using a JEOL Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope with an integrated Gatan 3View® Serial Block-Face Imaging System.
3View, an automated sectioning and image capture system that is specially designed for FE SEM, turns an embedded sample into thousands of images overnight or tens of thousands over a few days. A revolution in 3D microscopy, 3View creates perfectly aligned image stacks of thousands of sequentially-imaged slices of the freshly cut, resin embedded block face sample. The in situ ultra-microtome creates slices <15 to 200nm in thickness with a total traverse of 600mm. The 3View uses a Gatan specimen stage and backscatter detector.
The ultra-versatile JEOL FE SEMs are easy-to-use analytical systems that combine large beam currents with a small probe size at any accelerating voltage. When combined with the 3View, high stability and high resolution is maintained throughout the entire 3D volume.
Watch video of 3View® Serial Block Face Imaging of Synapse. (Imaging courtesy of Professor Deniz Kirik and Lina Gefors, Bioimaging Center, Medical Faculty, Lund University, Sweden.)