Exciting News: New TEM Arriving January 2026!

The CMIF is pleased to announce the acquisition of a JEOL 120i transmission electron microscope (TEM), made possible through generous support from the Office of Research and ERIK.

The new TEM is scheduled to arrive mid-January 2026. In preparation, the current FEI TEM will be decommissioned and removed mid-December. During this transition,TEM imaging will not be available at the CMIF for approximately one month.

Introducing the JEOL 120i TEM

The JEOL 120i TEM is equipped with a high-contrast polepiece for optimal imaging of biological specimens. In addition, the new instrument offers several improvements over our current system, including:

• Adjustable accelerating voltage from 20-120 kV for optimizing imaging conditions 
• Expanded magnification range: 50-1,200,000 X
• Improved lattice line resolution limit: down to 0.2 nm
• Higher resolution AMT NanoSprint 15L-B camera for superior image quality

The inclusion of an AMT camera, from the same vendor as our current system, ensures a smooth transition. Existing users will continue to use familiar image capture software, requiring only minimal training. 

Enhanced Imaging Capabilities

The new TEM will include SerialEM software, enabling advanced imaging workflows such as:

• Automated imaging 
• Image tiling and montaging
• Tomography using a high-tilt sample holder (+/- 80°)
• Correlative Light and Electron Microscopy (CLEM)

The CMIF will provide support and training in SerialEM imaging workflows to help users take full advantage of these capabilities. 

We are excited to offer this significant upgrade to the CMIF and look forward to supporting your TEM research in 2026.