Thermo Fisher Scientific has introduced the Thermo Scientific EMPAD G2 detector, a new technology designed to give researchers unprecedented detail into the structure and properties of materials.

 

The detector enables high-speed four-dimensional scanning transmission electron microscopy (4D STEM), an advanced imaging technique that captures substantially more information than conventional electron microscopy. The additional data can help scientists better understand how materials are structured and how they behave.

 

“The EMPAD G2 gives scientists a deeper view of materials and the information they need to explore what those materials can do,” said Glyn Davies, president, materials and structural analysis, Thermo Fisher Scientific. 

 

“By making advanced 4D STEM faster, more reliable and easier to use, we can help researchers accelerate discoveries in areas such as semiconductors, energy and advanced materials — and ultimately enable new technologies that can improve our everyday lives.”

 

A key advantage of the EMPAD G2 is its ability to capture weak signals alongside much stronger ones. That capability allows researchers to measure multiple material characteristics—including structure, chemistry, strain, and electric and magnetic properties—in a single experiment.

 

The detector supports a range of advanced applications, including strain mapping, differential phase contrast (DPC) and multi-slice electron ptychography for three-dimensional characterization at the atomic scale.

 

As 4D STEM gains traction across academic and industrial research, the ability to rapidly capture and accurately measure large volumes of data is becoming increasingly critical. Signals can span an exceptionally broad range, from extremely strong to extremely weak, placing greater demands on detector performance.

 

Thermo Fisher says the EMPAD G2 was developed specifically to address those challenges, enabling researchers to obtain reliable, quantitative information from a single acquisition.

 

David Muller, Samuel B. Eckert Professor of Engineering at the School of Applied and Engineering Physics at Cornell University, called the technology an important step forward for scanning transmission electron microscopy.

 

“The EMPAD G2 project gave us a unique opportunity to design a detector specifically optimized for STEM, rather than TEM or x-ray imaging,” said Muller.

 

The EMPAD G2 is fully integrated with Thermo Scientific Velox software, allowing researchers to collect and analyze multiple forms of data within a single workflow. The system supports simultaneous 4D STEM and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), helping streamline advanced materials analysis while improving the consistency and repeatability of results.

 

With faster acquisition, broad signal sensitivity and integrated analysis capabilities, the EMPAD G2 is positioned to expand the use of 4D STEM in research spanning semiconductors, energy and next-generation materials.