Used as the substrate on which a specimen is placed or attached, SEM specimen mounts are an essential component for the efficiency and accuracy of your scanning electron microscope. Choosing the right SEM mount will optimize stability during the preparation, transfer, and analysis of your specimen, and each SEM mount is designed with dimensions and features specific to your SEM stage or sample holder. 

Specimen mounts are also useful in minimizing the charging effects from the electron beam, helping to prevent the distortion of your image. Consequently, specimen mounts are available in electrically conductive materials such as aluminum or carbon-coated glass. It's important that your specimen mount is compatible with your sample type, which can vary from powders and thin films to biological specimens and come in a variety of sizes. At EMS, we offer a broad range of SEM sample mounting options suited to your diverse specimen needs. 

Types of Mounts 

We have expanded our specimen mount selection in order to accommodate an increased demand for variety and help you streamline your SEM work. Our complete line of SEM specimen mounts includes both aluminum mounts and carbon mounts in a wide array of dimensions. 

Aluminum SEM Mounts 

The aluminum mounts at EMS are made from ultra-pure aluminum, a material known for its durability and compatibility with a multitude of specimen types. Additionally, aluminum SEM mounts can be particularly useful when analyzing samples that require electrical grounding or conductivity, as well as heat-sensitive samples that can benefit from the material's thermal conductivity. 

Our more popular aluminum SEM mounts are available in two grades of finish: 

Standard Finish Aluminum Mounts 

These mounts have an economically priced lathe finish, which can aid with sample adhesion and the reduction of specular reflections due to their grooved surface. 

Polished Finish Aluminum Mounts 

The same ultra-pure aluminum, cloth-polished to produce a smooth and lustrous finish that can enhance image quality and minimize sample contamination with its lack of grooves. 

Carbon SEM Mounts 

The carbon mounts at EMS are spectroscopically pure and can be ideal for situations in which a lower generation of backscattered electrons is preferred, due to carbon's low atomic number. Carbon mounts are also used for the analysis of non-conductive samples like biological specimens, polymers, and ceramics. Finally, carbon SEM mounts have relative electron transparency, which can be valuable in the examination of transmitted or backscattered electrons. 

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