August 10, 2011 – BUSINESS WIRE — Carl Zeiss Nano Technology Systems, CEOS GmbH, and the University of Ulm have completed 2 years of evaluation and are starting the second phase of the Sub Angstrom Low Voltage Electron Microscope (SALVE) project.

SALVE aims to create a transmission electron microscope (TEM) capable of imaging samples with atomic resolution at very low acceleration voltages. Medium-voltage TEMs with accelerating voltages of 200-300kV destroy radiation-sensitive samples prior to image capture and material analysis. Sample preparation methods are also being researched.

The SALVE project’s goal is to overcome the hurdle that lower accelerating voltages lead to significant optical aberrations. Phase 1, 2009-2011, showed that atomic-resolution images could be generated at accelerating voltages below 80kV.

The German Research Foundation (DFG) and the Ministry for Science, Research and Art from the Federal State of Baden-Wuerttemberg (MWK/BW) support the SALVE project Phase 2 with €3.2 million (DFG) and €2.1 million (MWK/BW).

The SALVE TEM technology could be used to study superconductors and semiconductors, as well as lithium-ion batteries (Li-ion), plastics, and biological materials.

Carl Zeiss will work on developing the microscope system; the University of Ulm will develop applications and research sample preparation methods; CEOS will work on an optimized corrector to compensate for the chromatic and the spherical aberration at low voltages.

The Carl Zeiss Group develops optical and opto-electronic products. Carl Zeiss NTS GmbH is the Nano Technology Systems Division of Carl Zeiss, focused on electron microscopy. Learn more at www.smt.zeiss.com/nts.