EBSD WITH DIRECT ELECTRON’S DE-SEMCAM

In a preprint recently posted on arXiv, researchers from the University of California at Santa Barbara have reported using a new monolithic active pixel sensor (MAPS) based direct detector designed by Direct Electron for collecting electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) data. As has previously been demonstrated in Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), by eliminating the need for a scintillator and fiber-optic coupling, direct detectors can achieve a higher detective quantum efficiency and a higher signal to noise ratio than conventional detectors. This is advantageous for EBSD as well as TEM imaging.

The new MAPS based detector is optimized for voltages typically used in SEM and EBSD. With 2048 x 2048 pixels, the detector offers high resolution EBSD pattern acquisition at a rate of 281 patterns per second. Pattern acquisition speed can be increased by reading out fewer rows of the detector. These rows need not be contiguous, allowing full EBSD patterns to be sub-sampled. Acquisition speeds of almost 6000 patterns per second have been demonstrated.

The preprint can be found at this link: https://arxiv.org/abs/2008.11411

What’s New

AUTONOMOUS MICROED WITH APOLLO: BETTER DATA, FASTER

Apollo collected nine MicroED datasets in under 30 minutes at 8× the rotation rate of CETA-D—with lower R factors at room temperature, too!

Direct Electron at IMC21 in Liverpool

Catch up with Direct Electron at IMC21 Direct Electron Applications Scientist Dr. Barnaby Levin will

Direct Electron at M&M 2026!

Direct Electron is excited to attend Microscopy & Microanalysis 2026, the premier annual meeting for

M&M 2026 RUN GROUP

RUN WITH US AT M&M 2026! Make the most of your M&M experience with Direct

HIGH-THROUGHPUT CRYO-EM WITH APOLLO

Up to 2,904 movies per hour and sustained 1,820 movies per hour, reconstructing apoferritin at 1.72 Å in a single afternoon.

Direct Electron at IMC21 in Liverpool

Catch up with Direct Electron at IMC21 Direct Electron Applications Scientist Dr. Barnaby Levin will be presenting three contributions highlighting advances in direct detection and new approaches to data collection across several microscopy applications: Advances in MAPS Direct Detector Technology for EBSD, TKD, LEEM and PEEMMonday, August 31 | Surface Sensitive Microscopy, Analysis and Sample Manipulation | 10:35 AM–12:20 PM A Rapid Electron Counting Detector and GPU Powered Software for In Situ TEMTuesday, September 1 | Poster Session 2 | 5:30–6:30 PM Accelerating In Situ 4D STEM by Combining Custom Scan Patterns and Hardware Drift CorrectionWednesday, September 2 | Innovating Microscopy End-to-End: Hardware, Automation, and AI in Honour of Albert Crewe | 1:40–3:25 PM Direct Electron Cameras in Research at IMC21 We’re also excited to see work from researchers using Direct Electron cameras represented throughout the IMC21 scientific program. Prof. David Bhella, Professor of Structural Virology and Director of the Scottish Centre for Macromolecular Imaging at the University of Glasgow, will present “Frozen in Time: Cryo-EM Reveals Both Conserved and Novel Structural Features in a Divergent Herpesvirus Lineage,” featuring work with the Apollo direct electron detector, during the Cryo-EM session on Tuesday, September 1. Additional work from Bhella and colleagues will be presented during Wednesday’s poster session, including “Revealing the Native Architecture of RSV Replication Complexes Through In-Situ Structural Biology” and “Conformational Analysis of the Measles Virus Nucleocapsid Using Cryo-EM and Molecular Dynamics.” Researchers from the Max Planck Institute will also present several contributions featuring work with the DE-16, spanning ultrafast electron microscopy and diffraction: Steady-State Operando Imaging and Laser-Driven Megahertz Cycling of Ultrafast Charge-Density Wave Phase Transitions — Till Domröse Ultrafast Nanobeam Electron Diffraction of Structural Phase Transformations in 2D Materials — Sophie F. Schaible Stimulated Inelastic Electron Holography — Tim Dauwe Ultrafast Electron Microscopy and Free-Electron Quantum Optics — Claus Ropers, invited presentation We’re proud to see Direct Electron technology supporting such a diverse range of microscopy research and look forward to hearing the results in Liverpool. Going to IMC21? Stop by Booth 253 and say hello. We look forward to seeing you there!

Direct Electron at M&M 2026!

Direct Electron is excited to attend Microscopy & Microanalysis 2026, the premier annual meeting for the microscopy community, taking place August 2–6, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We invite attendees to stop by Booth 1130 to explore our latest direct detection technologies and discover the right detector for their application. Visit us to learn more about our flagship Apollo and Celeritas direct detection cameras, as well as our newest detector solutions designed for cryo-EM, SEM, 4D-STEM, EBSD, TKD, LEEM, and PEEM applications. Looking to start your mornings with fellow attendees? Join the conference’s informal morning run/walk, organized by Direct Electron Sales Director Bob Monteverde and MSA member Janet Gbur. The group meets Monday through Thursday at 6:00 AM outside the Baird Center main entrance (400 W. Wisconsin Avenue) for runs of 2–4 miles or a 1-mile walk. We look forward to seeing you in Milwaukee and discussing how Direct Electron can help advance your research.