The Ernst Ruska-Centre (ER-C) for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons is a national user facility open to universities, research institutions and research laboratories in industry. In co-operation with RWTH Aachen University, the ER-C houses two electron microscopy facilities which focus on different scientific areas that can be examined using this fascinating technique.
The ER-C Materials Science Facility houses conventional and state-of-the-art electron microscopes, ranging from standard scanning electron microscopes to highly-specialised aberration corrected instruments offering sub-Å resolution imaging and spectroscopy, as well as quantitative measurements of electromagnetic field distributions using phase contrast techniques that include off-axis electron holography and 4D STEM. If needed, a broad range of sample preparation techniques can be provided, too.
The ER-C Life Science Facility electron microscopy facility offers user access in high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy as well as ultrastructural cellular EM methods. Together, both approaches enable the visualization of biological molecules, viruses, bacteria, human cells, and tissue from various model systems over a range of resolution scales from atomic, molecular, subcellular to cellular detail.
The Ernst Ruska-Centre houses some of the world’s most advanced electron microscopes and tools for nanocharacterisation, several of which have been funded by the German Research Foundation and the Helmholtz Association. The ER-C strongly encourages scientific researchers and students to tap into the powerful capabilities of this facility, and to find out more about our exciting possibilities.
The ER-C provides both direct services and scientific assistance to university research groups and research laboratories in industry and academia in the field of advanced electron microscopic applications.
The support of students is also an integral part of our activities.
The ER-C consists of three divisions:
ER-C-1 investigates the Physics of Nanoscale Systems
ER-C-2 focuses on Materials Science and Technology
ER-C-3 explores Structural Biology
User Facility - In co-operation with RWTH Aachen University, the ER-C houses two electron microscopy facilities:
-The ER-C Materials Science Facility, with both conventional and state-of-the-art electron microscopes.
-The ER-C Life Science facility offers user access to high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy as well as ultrastructural cellular EM methods.
As the national research infrastructure of ultra-high resolution electron microscopy, the ER-C contributes greatly to the development of innovative materials, to better understand structures at the atomic and molecular levels.
ER-C is a member of e-DREAM, a non-profit initiative established to promote collaboration between providers of advanced electron microscopy infrastructure at the European level, collaborative research and transnational user programmes.
e-DREAM has the not-for-profit purpose of promoting cooperation and projects between European-level advanced electron microscopy facilities. The members remain independent, but together through e-DREAM join forces to support and strengthen European electron science by creating an effective, collaborating eco-system of facilities.
e-DREAM places an emphasis on the relationship between user communities and funding organisations, optimising resources between and aligning policies among partners in order to ensure excellence in the communities that they serve.
- User Office -
