JEOL USA Press Releases

JEOL Ltd. (President & CEO: Izumi Oi) has developed the ACE eye™, a transmission electron microscope (TEM) for semiconductor analysis, and began sales in July 2026.
By automating the entire measurement workflow —from TEM/STEM observation to EDS analysis— the ACE eye™ delivers highly reproducible measurements that are less dependent on operator expertise. It also supports long-duration, continuous automated measurement, helping to improve the efficiency of semiconductor device R&D, process evaluation, and failure analysis.

Background to Development

Semiconductor devices are becoming smaller, more highly integrated, and increasingly three-dimensional. As a result, advanced devices such as gate-all-around (GAA) transistors and 3D NAND are becoming more structurally complex and incorporating a wider variety of materials. In the R&D, process evaluation, and failure analysis of these devices, it is essential not only to observe fine structures and material interfaces at high resolution but also to accurately determine elemental distributions at the nanometer scale.

High-resolution TEM/STEM observation and EDS analysis, however, require the appropriate adjustment of focus, astigmatism, specimen height, beam position, crystal orientation, and other parameters. Consequently, the quality of measurement results and the time required for operation can depend heavily on the operator's level of expertise. In addition, as the number of measurements increases, there is growing demand for more efficient measurement workflows and for continuous automated measurement over extended periods.

To address these challenges and needs, JEOL developed the ACE eye™ TEM for semiconductor analysis. By automating the entire measurement workflow —from TEM/STEM observation to EDS analysis— the instrument delivers highly reproducible measurements that are less dependent on the operator’s level of expertise. It also provides a flexible automation tailored to the measurement objective and operating environment.

The ACE eye™ promotes a shift from operations that require constant decision-making to measurements that users can confidently leave to the instrument. This helps to improve the efficiency of semiconductor device R&D, process evaluation, and failure analysis.

Key Features

1. Automation

   Measurement conditions and procedures can be configured as recipes, allowing the entire workflow from TEM/STEM observation through EDS analysis to be automated, with operations ranging from semi-automatic to fully automatic according to the intended purpose. The system is equipped as standard with an ASCOR spherical aberration corrector manufactured by CEOS. AI-based automatic aberration correction and advanced automation algorithms improve measurement consistency and reproducibility. In addition, when the system is combined with a large-capacity liquid nitrogen tank, Automation Center automated measurement software (optional), and the MultiSPECPORTER (MSP; optional), long-duration, unattended, continuous automated measurement is possible under specified conditions. The MSP is an autoloading system that stores up to 12 specimen grids under vacuum. Through GUI operation, it automatically inserts each specimen into the microscope column for observation and removes it after observation. Unattended data acquisition in conjunction with Automation Center contributes to the high-throughput operation of the ACE eye™. The MSP also employs a replaceable cartridge system. By reducing the specimen-holder drift associated with the specimen exchange, this system supports high-precision, stable analysis.

2. Analytical Performance and Reliability

   The combination of a wide-gap pole piece and ASCOR enables both high-resolution observation and high-sensitivity EDS analysis while delivering high magnification reproducibility of ±0.5% in both TEM and STEM modes. The EDS system provides a large solid angle of 2.2 sr when the MSP is not installed, enabling high detection sensitivity. In addition, the high take-off angle reduces shadowing by the specimen and holder. It also enables the acquisition of clean spectra with suppressed system peaks, thereby supporting reliable elemental analysis. Measurement reproducibility and reliability are further enhanced using LogChecker (optional), which monitors instrument status and the external environment, and by a column enclosure that suppresses external disturbances.

3. Operability

   The intuitive TEM Center user interface enables observation and measurement through simple mouse operations. In Automation Center, Operator and Administrator modes enable configuration and management according to each user’s role. Seamless integration with Gatan cameras (optional; some camera models are not supported) provides a smooth workflow from image acquisition to data storage. In addition, a newly developed holder enables one-touch installation of specimen grids. Combined with TEM-FIB linkage using a TEM-FIB dual-axis tilt linkage cartridge and a dedicated TEM holder (both optional), it reduces the operator's workload and minimizes specimen-handling risks.

Designed as the “eye” of advanced semiconductor analysis, the ACE eye™ rapidly delivers reliable structural and compositional information.

Main Specifications

ACE eye™ High Throughput Analytical Electron Microscope