Cryogenic 200kV (Scanning) Transmission Electron Microscope

• Subject Area: Polymer Research
• Term: Funded in 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 568550370

Recent developments in cryogenic electron microscopy make it particularly useful for characterization and 3D reconstruction of radiation-sensitive organic materials, biological samples, and element-specific imaging in particles and catalysts. We request funding for the acquisition of a new cryogenic scanning transmission electron microscope, equipped with a field emission gun which can be operated at 80-200 kV. The microscope will serve as the workhorse in an EM core facility, where researchers from chemistry, biology, and physics will conduct their experiments. Given the diverse requirements, we need a multipurpose device capable of supporting a broad range of techniques and our goal is to strike an excellent balance between high-end performance and multipurpose usability. The instrument will be housed and operated in the EM core facility of the Johannes Gutenberg University and is aimed for multi-user and multi-discipline applications. These include, but are not restricted to, scanning TEM functionality (S/TEM) to carry out 2D and 3D characterization of biological and soft-matter samples, (in)organic nanomaterials and particles in structural biology, with a special emphasis on cryogenic S/TEM which apply low-dose techniques to minimize electron exposure and damage by the electron beam to soft matter, biomaterial and biological samples. In addition to a comprehensive (bio)chemical characterization portfolio and high versatility, the microscope supports screening and validating cryo-preparation and vitrification conditions using the AutoGrid sample format. This format is compatible with and directly transferable to top-end instruments at the Mainz research campus and partnering core facilities within the Rhine-Main University (RMU) alliance, enabling the highest structural resolution of biomaterial and biological samples. Our requested EM instrument will offer the most robust operation platform, including optimized software tools for automated and unsupervised workflows, allowing structural and chemical information to be acquired for a wide range of samples in several different working groups, and researchers both in the faculties of Chemistry and Biology.

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: Kryogenes 200kV (Raster-)Transmissions-Elektronenmikroskop (teilfinanziert)
• Instrumentation Group: 5100 Elektronenmikroskope (Transmission)
• Applicant Institution: Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz
• Leader: Professor Dr. Pol Besenius