title: ASIC-based event-driven 2D digital electron counter for TEM imaging.
abstract: A two-dimensional application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) based detector, designed for X-ray protein crystallography, has been tested to determine its suitability as a direct electron detector for TEM imaging in the voltage range of 20-400 keV. Several markedly different properties of this device distinguish it from the charge coupled device (CCD) detectors: (1) the ASIC detector can be used directly under electron bombardment in the voltage range stated above, therefore requiring no scintillator screen; (2) each active pixel of the device is an electron counter and generates digital output independently; (3) the readout of the device is frameless and event driven; (4) the device can be operated at the room temperature and is nearly noise free; and (5) the counting dynamic range of the device is virtually unlimited. It appears that an imaging system based on this type of device would be ideal for low-dose TEM imaging and online diffraction observation and recording, as well as more conventional imaging, providing the many advantages of direct digital readout for almost all applications.
authors.forename: G Y
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Datte
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Beuville
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Beche
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Millaud
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Downing
authors.forename: F T
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Burkard
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Ellisman
authors.forename: N H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Xuong
mesh_terms: D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray / Q000295:instrumentation*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008854:Microscopy, Electron / Q000379:methods*; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins