SPI Supplies

SPI Microanalysis Standards

With unique electron beam lettering for ease of use!


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44 Metals Standard Mount
High Purity Reference Standards
for X-Ray Microanalysis (EDS and WDS)

SPI Supplies is the world's largest source for standards for microanalysis. We did not attain this position by accident. And that is because we offer our customers the best of both worlds: Our customers can order a Design Your Own Standard, where they determine which standard items will be in their standard block or, they may choose to order one of our "Off-the-Shelf" standards, as described below.

We also have information for those customers who are still trying to decide which of these approaches is the more appropriate for them (and their budgets).



These different reference standard products represent a collection of polished metals, minerals and synthetic compounds, suitable for electron microprobe and scanning electron microscope x-ray analysis.

The standards for microanalysis are mounted with a special proprietary epoxy resin and after polishing, are carbon-coated, thus providing conductivity from the metal or mineral grains to the stainless steel or brass rim which encloses the plastic. The elements are all of those which are stable at room temperature and which can be polished. It may be necessary to make substitutions from time to time in the minerals offered, but every effort is made to preserve a similar diversity of range.

Among our various mounts (or standards for microanalysis), all naturally occurring stable elements are represented, with the exception of the noble gases.
Each item is labeled right on the mount by microscopic lettering etched by an electron beam. Labels include a reference number and, in most cases, a description in letters 60 µm high. The lettering can be read in the secondary or backscattered electron images of a SEM or through the light microscope viewing system of a microprobe. This unique method of identification is extremely useful in route-finding on the higher density mounts, particularly when only one high-power light optical magnification is available. Ask anyone who has ever used the SPI Supplies Standards for Microanalysis - they will tell you that they would never ever dream of going back to using standards without this kind of labeling. Labels are normally written for direct viewing, but mirror images can be supplied on special order at no additional charge. Be sure to specify when ordering if mirror images labeling is required.
Electron beam lettering for Olivine

Special note: If you are reading this page, then we know that with almost 100% certainty you are the owner of an EDS or WDS system, and therefore you must surely want the very best possible products for mounting samples for analysis. We encourage you to become familiar with the world renowned SPI line of dry adhesive products which not only serve as a substrate for the mounting of samples, but also result in a well grounded contact for some of the most difficult to mount and examine samples.

For the analysis of EDS and WDS results, consider the Electron Flight Simulator™, hundreds have been sold worldwide, and it is a powerful tool for the modeling of electron interactions with solids.

And if you do not have an EDS system, but are thinking of purchasing one, make sure you consider the equipment from all of the leading EDS manufacturers in the world before making your final decision!


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Wednesday May 14, 2008
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