ThermoFisher Aquilos 2 Cryo-FIB System

The ThermoFisher Aquilos 2 Cryo-Focused Ion Beam (FIB) System is a dual beam system dedicated to the preparation of thin and electron-transparent lamellas for high-resolution cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) or microcrystal electron diffraction (MicroED) analysis of small molecules and proteins. The highly automated workflow on the Aquilos 2 allows researchers to produce multiple lamellas from specific programmed locations. On the other hand, the improved dedicated cryo-hardware will enable longer run times (up to 8 hours) at ultra-low ice contamination rates.

With the EasyLift NanoManipulator cryo-lift-out system, the Aquilos2 enables researchers to prepare lamellas from target regions within bulk-frozen specimens. Site-specific regions, including those from high-pressure frozen samples, can be extracted and placed inside AutoGrids for further imaging with other cryo-TEM systems.

Specifications:

Electron optics
- Accelerating voltage range: 200 V – 30 kV
- Beam current range: 1.5 pA to 400 nA
- Resolution (with cryo-stage): 1.6 nm at 30 kV, 2.6 nm at 2 kV (at room temperature), 6.0 nm at 2 kV (at cryo-temperature)
- Resolution (with cryo-stage): 7.0 nm at 30 kV

Ion optics
- Voltage: 500 V to 30 kV
- Beam current: 1.5 pA – 65 nA in 15 steps
- Resolution (with cryo-stage): 7.0 nm at 30 kV
Cryo-stage
- Tilt range at cryo (eucentric WD): -15° to +55°
- XY range: 110 mm
- Z range: 65 mm
- Rotation: 360° (endless)

Hourly rate

Internal users: $380
Collaborators: $760
External users: $1900

Mr. Sirui Li

Assistant Scientific Officer

Z215
34008980
sijeoi.li@polyu.edu.hk

Dr. Michael Yuen

Senior Scientific Officer