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K2™ Direct Detection camera
In designing our direct detection camera we set out to develop a truly revolutionary camera for transmission electron microscopy. We set our goals so high and realized the challenge was so daunting that we named the development project K2 after the second-highest mountain on Earth (known for is extreme difficulty of ascent). As the project continued to steadily march past each successive major development milestone, the decision was made to stay with the “K2” name through product release.
K2 represents the culmination of an exemplary three-way joint development between Gatan, The University of California at San Francisco (UCSF, Prof. David Agard), and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL, Dr. Peter Denes). Gatan is the long time leader in the development and sale of scientific camera systems for electron microscopy with 25 years of experience spanning 7 generations of camera technology. UCSF is a long time leader in TEM applied to structural biology with leading experience in scientific research, software, and hardware development. LBNL has extensive experience in the design of radiation hardened CMOS active pixel sensors for high-energy particle physics, and most recently also for electron microscopy as part of the TEAM project.
 Inset is FFT of displayed image, showing graphite fringes 3.4A and Au fringes to 2.3A (111) and 2.04A (200) |
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Beginning a new revolution in imaging technology, K2 sets an entirely new standard for extreme performance cameras in electron microscopy. As with the Slow Scan, MultiScan and UltraScan CCD cameras, Gatan is once again redefining the meaning of “high performance” in electron microscopy imaging.
Cryo-image of 20S proteasome taken at 300 kV, 39kx nominal magnification (~1A per pixel) with total dose of 25e-/A2. Image provided courtesy Dr. Yifan Cheng, University of California, San Francisco.
The first K2 camera was delivered to Prof. Agard in April 2011. Commercial shipments will commence in the fourth quarter of 2011.
