Digital TEM Camera Systems AMT offers a complete line of digital imaging capabilities for 1 megapixel to 11 megapixel formats. All systems provide sharp images with high dynamic range and low noise. AMT's systems have modular designs that provide superior reliability and ease-of-use. AMT provides the highest performance optics with specially designed finite- conjugate lenses for all its product. AMT pioneered the use of high resolution RESTMphosphors, which minimize electron scattering effects and provide superior sensitivity. ( I ) Hardware Features               (CCDs, Cooling, Optics, Phosphors, Duty Factor, Vacuum, Electronic Shutters) (II) Software Features (Image Acquisition, Image Caption Engine Options, Image Processing) (III) Side-Mount System v.s. Bottom-Mount Sytem (Field-Of-View)

AMT achieved laboratory efficiency and productivity by using low noise camera heads and modern CCDs with fast readouts. The electronics and software complement the camera characteristics and are tuned to efficient TEM image acquisition. AMT also designs lenses specifically for this application and these lenses offer outstanding resolution and sensitivity compared to alternate optical designs. AMT uses scientific grade sensors and cameras that are customized for TEM applications. Cameras either have thermo-electrically cooling or run at ambient temperature. All have negligible thermal noise level at TEM exposure intervals. These cameras have distinctive advantages in readout speed and image quality compared to competing systems. They also have the highest reliability. The cameras' optical interface is specially designed for AMT's high performance, finite-conjugate lenses. The high MTF and high throughput of these lenses are key reasons for the superior performance of AMT's systems. Performance is enhanced further by AMT's unique phosphor designs.

CCDs: All cameras use progressive scan, interline-transfer CCDs. Initially developed for machine vision, AMT's customized versions for TEM have distinctive advantages in readout speed and image quality compared to competing full frame CCD systems derived from astronomy. They also have a far lower thermal noise coefficient, display far fewer defects and offer higher reliability. COOLING: Because of their low thermal noise coefficient, our CCDs can operate near room temperature and deep cooling is never required. When necessary, cooling is done with low power Peltier devices, which do not require water or fans. This has substantial advantages in installation, maintenance and reliability over deeply cooled systems. THIS PAGE TOP >>

OPTICS: Most cameras feature a specially designed finite-conjugate lens. They provide both high MTF and high throughput, which are key reasons for the high performance of AMT's systems. The resolution test patterns show the show the superior definition in AMT's design. Our lenses eliminate the need for fiber optical coupling in most cases. This increases the available number of CCD sensors and avoids the defects, distortion and light scattering common to fiber optics. Of course, what really matters is the TEM image. The comparison obtained under identical conditions with conventional and AMT's custom optics shows the obvious difference in clarity. AMT has also produced fiber optically coupled systems. In1999 AMTwas the first to supply one-piece fiber optic design in a standard product. Eliminating the traditional stacked fiber bundles produced fewer artifacts and provided superior definition.

PHOSPHORS: Performance is enhanced further by AMT's unique phosphors. AMT introduced the first successful phosphor-based, high definition TEM camera system in 1992. AMT's RESTM phosphor fabrication processes produce the highest definition images at any operating condition with the least structural interference.         THIS PAGE TOP >>

DUTY FACTOR: All cameras have 100% temporal duty factor (0% dead time) in both live and recording modes. This is the feature most responsible for our cameras' extraordinary live sensitivity and speed. It also enables real-time frame integration for 16 bit (max) recorded images without loss of sensitivity or signal degradation. VACUUM: All electronics, cooling devices, and optics are outside the TEM vacuum and immune from cryo-contamination. Camera removal and system maintenance can be performed by users. ELECTRONIC SHUTTERS: AMT's cameras use electronic shutters. These are not only superior to mechanical shutters, which vibrate, but they are also more stable than beam blanking systems, which cause thermal transients at the specimen. THIS PAGE TOP >>

AMT provides sophisticated software capability yet maintains operational simplicity by using a modular architecture that intelligently segments acquisition from analysis. IMAGE ACQUISITION: AMT's Image Capture Engine is designed as a productivity enhancement tool, and its graphical interface is set up for nearly "one-button" operation in routine use. Sophisticated users have a hierarchical path to increasingly customized configurations, which can be stored for future use. The standard features of the Image Capture Engine include: Graphical user interface designed for good visibility and ease-of-use. Automatic gray scale adjustment with manual overrides. Images stored in standard TIFF file format with 8 or 16 bit depth. Full flat-field correction for both live and recorded images. Automatic caption with micron bar, magnification, stage position, and TEM conditions. Simple linear measurements. Diffraction measurements for rings and spot patterns. “Case Save” function to automatically name and number images Grid overlays for stereology. Real-time FFT with filtering available. Real time histogram display. Custom imaging conditions stored in individually named files. Multilevel sharpening functions.   IMAGE CAPTION ENGINE OPTIONS: Montaging for *** Newer TEMs with external communications *** older TEMs without external communications or motorized stage control 21CFR11 authentication for pharmaceutical applications Digital video generation (AVI). Tilt series acquisition for TEMs supporting external control of tilt motors. IMAGE PROCESSING: AMT supplies in-depth image analysis through customized links and plug-ins to ImageJ, which is a vast yet freely available analysis package developed by NIH. AMT provides ImageJ with image information such as magnification and pixel so that images are automatically calibrated. Some of the most common functions available: Length Area and Perimeter Particle Counting Histogram and Grayscale Measurement Line Profiles Image Math Fourier Transform Macros Plugins These are only a small fraction of the wide array of image analysis and image manipulation functions supported world-wide. There are no licensing fees from either NIH or AMT for use of this package. THIS PAGE TOP >>

FIELD-OF-VIEW: The placement of the camera generally determines the field-of-view (FOV) and "mag-factor" of a camera. The relationship between FOV and AMT cameras is illustrated by a camera comparison map. ADVANTAGE side-mount systems are positioned at the 35 mm port. Side mounted configurations provide the widest viewing area and highest apparent sensitivity. They retract to allow full use of the normal viewing screen and the field-of-view matches or exceeds plate film. These systems are ideal for most clinical work where context is required at lower magnifications. They are also useful for diffraction work where a large field-of-view is advantageous. Side-mounted XR40/XR60/HR/HRL cameras have the widest FOV and lowest mag factors. These are often favored in bio-medical applications where lower magnifications and image context are extremely important. Bottom-mounted ERB/XR40B/XR60B cameras with the highest mag-factors that are favored in higher magnification work typical of materials research. The XR40C/XR60C is bottom-mounted design with a large FOV and high mag-factor. This model can be used for both materials and bio-medical research. THIS PAGE TOP >>

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