ScionTech: Immediate Feedback Instead of Hours Between preparation and Measurement

23. September 2026

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ScionTech: Immediate Feedback Instead of Hours Between preparation and Measurement

EBSD can reveal the ‘fingerprint’ of a material at the nanometre scale. Yet this sophisticated method can run into trouble before the measurement even begins – during sample preparation. Today, that step takes place outside the electron microscope and can take several hours. ‘You try something, and two hours later you find out that it does not work. Then you have to do it all over again, and again,’ Jiří Spousta from ScionTech told the audience at the September Velvet Innovation Meetup.

Vision

What if hours did not have to separate sample preparation from checking the result? Sample Prep Toolkit for EBSD aims to bring these steps closer together, giving users feedback directly inside the electron microscope and allowing them to react straight away.

Gamechanger

EBSD, or electron backscatter diffraction, produces maps that reveal the structure of a material. But the quality of the result depends heavily on how well the sample surface has been prepared. ScionTech is therefore working on a broad ion beam solution designed to be integrated directly into the electron microscope. Instead of repeatedly moving through prepare → transfer → measure → find out it needs to be done again, users could get much faster feedback while preparing their sample. ‘Users will have immediate control and immediate feedback on whether it worked. It will save time, money and a lot of stress,’ Jiří explained.

Who is it for?

For people working with electron microscopes who currently spend hours preparing samples. EBSD is used in fields including semiconductors, aerospace and metallurgy – anywhere that requires a detailed understanding of material structure. According to Jiří, around USD 300 million moves through the EBSD market each year. .

What has worked so far?

The project is being developed by ScionTech, an early-stage spin-off founded by Jiří Spousta, whose background is in electron microscopy. The team is also developing the project within the CEITEC Innovation Accelerator. Jiří highlighted the conditions created by CEITEC BUT and JIC as an important part of moving the technology forward.

Do you work with EBSD or electron microscopy? Have you faced the same problem with sample preparation? If the idea caught your attention, ask Jiří.

Get in touch with ScionTech