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Helios 5 Hydra
FIB ActiveThermo Fisher Scientific — Helios 5 Hydra CryoFIB
Multi-ion species plasma FIB-SEM (Xe, Ar, O, N) with Elstar SEM column, cryo-stage, and cryo-transfer capability for air-sensitive and beam-sensitive materials.
Type Plasma FIB-SEM (PFIB)
Ion species Xe, Ar, O, N (multi-ion)
SEM resolution Sub-nm (2–15 keV)
FIB current 1 pA – 2.5 µA (Xe, 30 keV)
SEM column Elstar (350 eV – 30 keV)
FIB resolution ~20 nm (Xe, 30 keV)
Detectors SE/BSE (TLD), ICE, EDS, EBSD
Cryo ~90 K, plunge freeze, vacuum transfer
Purchased 2025. 11
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Overview
The Thermo Fisher Scientific Helios 5 Hydra is a next-generation plasma FIB-SEM featuring multi-ion species capability (Xe, Ar, O, N) with rapid switching between ion sources. Combined with a 2nd-generation cryo-stage and cryo-transfer system, it enables large-volume site-specific milling and TEM lamella preparation for both conventional and cryogenic specimens, including air-sensitive battery materials.
Key Features
- Multi-ion plasma source: Four ion species (Xe, Ar, O, N) switchable in under 10 minutes, enabling optimized milling for different materials
- High-current PFIB: Up to 2.5 µA Xe beam at 30 keV for rapid large-area cross-sectioning (100s of µm)
- Elstar SEM column with beam deceleration: Sub-nanometer resolution imaging from 350 eV to 30 keV
- Cryo capabilities: Integrated plunge freezing, metal sputter coating, freeze fracturing, and vacuum transfer for cryo-TEM sample preparation
- Comprehensive detection: SE and BSE through-the-lens detectors (TLD), ICE detector for secondary ions, large solid-angle EDS, and EBSD
Applications
- Large-volume serial sectioning of battery electrodes and solid-state electrolytes
- Cryo-FIB lamella preparation for air-sensitive materials (Li metal, sulfide SEs)
- Site-specific TEM sample preparation with multi-ion species optimization
- 3D microstructural characterization via FIB-SEM tomography
- EBSD analysis of grain orientation and texture