Our Story | Protochips

Protochips started off as a three man business, developing and making MEMS devices. The company has evolved tremendously ever since, with a focus on innovation and an appetite to try new things. At our foundation is the strong desire to create instruments and workflows that solve problems for scientists developing the next generation of materials.

The story of Protochips is filled with innovation and even more importantly, the success of our customers. Over the course of several years and many design generations, we have developed state-of-the-art in situ TEM holder capabilities that include temperature and environmental control and even liquid phase electrochemistry. Along the way we have also developed solutions for the steps that come before and after the experiment, including sample prep and data analysis. We are completely focused not only on delivering unique capabilities for in situ TEM, but ensuring our solutions have a very high rate of experimental success. We are proud of all our in situ customers that have published over 850 articles in peer reviewed journals. Our engineering team’s designs have won two R&D, 100 Awards and three Microscopy Today Innovation Awards, and our manufacturing team has fabricated over 50,000 E-chips for our customers. Looking forward, we are excited to adopt new machine vision technologies for in situ TEM which will greatly enhance performance and productivity for all of our customers. We have big plans … stay in touch with us!

Scaling Bulk to Nano

When scaling bulk to nano, our products help scientists extend their research to the nanoscale to observe process in real-time.

Accelerating Productivity

Additional tools increase the success rates and results with greater significance for users of all levels.

Fostering Collaboration

Using the machine-vision software tools, collaboration can be enhanced by making experimental results easier to share, publish and reproduce.

TEM Machine-Vision Software

Protochips' machine-vision software, AXON, redefines the in situ experience by linking the transmission electron microscopy detectors and in situ systems together with a revolutionary software platform. The software collects and saves over 200 metadata that are all indexed. This metadata is linked to the (S)TEM images which can quickly be plotted, exported and published in overlays for videos. It improves data quality, enhances and extends your current microscope capabilities and makes in situ experiments easier for the novice to most advanced users. The AXON platform is a module-based software solution. Easily plug in new modules as they are released, and your system will stay up to date with the latest features.