SPI Beryllium Grids

Beryllium has long been recognized as the ideal material for grids for analytical electron microscopy. The low atomic number of beryllium assures the microscopist of EDS spectra which are both free from annoying characteristic x-ray peaks and low in Bremsstrahlung background radiation. SPI Supplies has switched to a new, higher purity beryllium metal than previously for beryllium grid production, characteristic x-ray peaks from impurities in the metal are virtually absent from grid bar control spectra. These grids, which are all 25µm thick area available as both square mesh and slot designs. Beryllium metal is difficult to etch, and these grids do not have grid bars that are thin and smooth, or the large open areas of our other grids made by electro deposited techniques.
Important note: Not all beryllium TEM grids are the same.

A few words about the origin of the SPI Supplies Brand of Beryllium Grids:

Because of the uniqueness of beryllium, and the safety concerns when the metal is processed, there is not a large number of firms offering beryllium. Indeed the number of such firms processing and refining beryllium metal in the world could be counted on half the fingers of one hand. The leading firm is, by far, Brush Wellman Electrofusion. Most beryllium fabricators use as their starting material high purity beryllium rod, strip or foil that has been produced by Brush Wellman. We do have available beryllium starting material from sources outside of the USA, however the claimed purity is never as high as is claimed, and in any case, fall far short of the purity specifications of the Brush Wellman supplied material. The TEM grids being offered by SPI Supplies have been fabricated from the highest purity available from Brush Wellman. We want to make that point because there is just no comparison between these fine outstanding grids produced from Brush Wellman starting material and grids produced from material of alternative origins.

We would recommend anyone contemplating the use of beryllium should be familiar with some basic concepts about beryllium and the use of beryllium in the electron microscope laboratory.

All SPI Beryllium grids are 25µm thick. Packaged in a green dial-a-grid box.

For FIB and Ion Milling applications:

SPI Supplies can now offer "beryllium half grids".

Other options to beryllium:

The SPI Supplies brand of silicon nitride membrane window grids might be a better option for those wanting to do analytical TEM work without getting interference from the grid itself. The silicon nitride (or silicon oxide) membrane is just too thin for any of the elements in the membrane to be detected by EDS. In most TEMs, one sees only a faint hint of Si probably from the silicon frame of the grid.

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Style Mesh Thickness	SPI #	Package Size	Each		10+, Each		In Stock
75	411BG-AB *	Pkg/1	$42.67		$38.40		Yes
200	420BG-AB *	Pkg/1	42.67		38.40		Yes

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Style Mesh Thickness	SPI #	Package Size	Each		10+, Each		In Stock
1 x 2mm slot	412BG-AB *	Pkg/1	$ 43.00		$ 38.70		Yes

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Style Mesh Thickness	SPI #	Package Size	Each		10+, Each		In Stock
0.4x2mm slot	413BG-AB *	Pkg/1	$ 42.67		$ 38.40		Yes

* Available while supplies last