The electron-optical design and the technical realisation of correctors, monochromators and imaging spectrometers as well as methods of resolution improvement (Focus variation, Holography) have made significant progress in the past few years. For all such devices and methods the mechanical and electrical stability of the microscope are the main challenges.

Such requirements are even more critical in case of Energy Filtering Transmission Electron Microscopes (EFTEMs), where the achievement of highly resolved analytical results requires long detection times (in the range of a few 10s of seconds). Resolution in such case could mean both spatial and energy resolution even at the same time. The stability performance of the combined system is more complex than the sum of the stabilities of the single components. Thus, a specified HT short- and long-term stability of 2 ppm is not sufficient to achieve an energy resolution of 0.2 eV at 100 kV acceleration voltage.