Detector wins prestigious microscopy innovation award

Oxford Instruments is proud to announce that its innovative Unity detector has been recognised as one of the ten best microscopy innovations of the year by the 2024 Microscopy Today Innovation Awards. These prestigious awards, given annually by Microscopy Today, celebrate outstanding advancements in microscopy and microanalysis that offer significant benefits to the scientific community. Winners are chosen based on the impact and utility of their innovations, particularly those that introduce better, faster, easier, or entirely new analytical methods.

The Unity BEX imaging detector made its debut at M&M2023, the leading annual conference for the microscopy and microanalysis community. This ground-breaking device introduces a novel analytical technique known as BEX, which captures and merges backscattered electron (BSE) and X-ray signals simultaneously. This capability enables users to instantly view both the microstructure and chemical composition of samples in vivid, high-resolution colour images.

A standout feature of the Unity detector is its advanced design, which situates the BSE and X-ray sensors directly beneath the electron microscope (EM) pole piece. This configuration allows the Unity to deliver comprehensive topographic, crystallographic, atomic number, and elemental data through a high-resolution visual output. The system's intuitive interface lets users seamlessly explore sample details, significantly simplifying and accelerating complex sample analyses.

Haithem Mansour, BEX Product Manager, expressed his appreciation for the recognition: "Being acknowledged by Microscopy Today, a publication of the well-respected Microscopy Society of America (MSA), is a great honour. It affirms the significant advancement that Unity represents in SEM analytical technology and highlights the important role it plays in enhancing the capabilities of modern microscopy."

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