October 18, 2007 — FEI Co. (Nasdaq: FEIC), a developer of ultrahigh-resolution transmission electron microscopes (TEMs), has added a new instrument, the Titan3 80-300 to the Titan product family. Nicknamed the Titan “cubed” because of its fully enclosed profile, the system is designed to deliver high stability and performance in a commercial scanning/transmission electron microscope (S/TEM).

The Titan3 takes the capabilities of FEI’s powerful Titan S/TEM microscope, introduced in 2005, to new levels of performance and enhanced operation at lower cost, FEI said in a news release. The company says that the system’s ultra-high resolution is enabled by its design that combines, for the first time ever on a single instrument, two Cs-abberation correctors and a monochromator. And, says FEI, the system’s enclosure significantly reduces environmental interference providing greater stability and eliminating the need for expensive lab improvements.

Using the new tool, scientists can study how atoms combine to form materials, how materials grow and how they respond to a variety of external factors, the company said. Such data can aid in the improvement of designs for everything from better, lighter, more efficient light sources, automobiles and airliners, to stronger buildings and new ways of harvesting energy.