Sample holders

Micto to Nano™ EM-Tec SEM sample holders

The Micro to Nano EM-Tec range of SEM sample holders comprises a wide variety of holders to make it easier and quicker to mount your samples directly in the SEM.

Samples are held by clamping between jaws or secured with screws. When samples are secured correctly, the sample won’t move which increases spatial resolution both for imaging and analysis. With the EM-Tec SEM sample holders there are no out-gassing or contamination issues. All EM-Tec SEM sample holders with a M4 threaded hole are fully compatible with the EM-Tec SEM stage adapters.

The comprehensive selection:

Angled and Tilt holders

The EM-Tec variable tilt and pre-tilt holders are useful for imaging samples under a pre-tilt angle without having to tilt the SEM stage. With these holders you can image previously mounted samples on standard pin stubs or Hitachi stubs at pre-set angles or any chosen angle.

Capacity, size and compatibility of the EM-Tec pre-tilt and variable tilt holders:

Bulk SEM sample holders

The EM-Tec bulk sample holders are designed to hold awkwardly shaped and bulk samples. These sample holders are either rectangular or round and have brackets with screws to securely hold the sample in place.

EM-Tec GB16 – Rectangular type bulk sample holder with two side brackets for sample thickness up to 16mm. Made from brass, 1µm thick gold plated. Ideal for smaller samples and smaller SEMs.
EM-Tec B26 – Rectangular type bulk sample holder with two side bracket for sample thickness up to 26mm. Made from vacuum grade aluminium.
EM-Tec B38 – Rectangular type bulk sample holder with two side bracket for sample thickness up to 32mm. Made from vacuum grade aluminium.
EM-Tec B52 – Rectangular type medium bulk sample holder with two side bracket for sample thickness up to 52mm. Made from vacuum grade aluminium.
EM-Tec V80 – Rectangular type large bulk sample holders with two repositionable side brackets for sample width up to 80mm. Made from vacuum grade aluminium.
EM-Tec V120 –Rectangular type extra-large bulk sample holders with two repositionable side brackets for sample width up to 120mm. Made from vacuum grade aluminium.
EM-Tec GR20 – Round type bulk sample holder with three brackets for round and awkwardly shaped samples up to Ø20mm. Made from brass, 1µm thick gold plated. Ideal for smaller samples and smaller SEMs.
EM-Tec R32 – Round type bulk sample holder with three brackets for round and awkwardly shaped samples up to Ø32mm. Equally useful as metallographic mounts holder for 30mm / 1-1/4” mounts. Made from vacuum grade aluminium.
EM-Tec R51 – Round type bulk sample holder with three brackets for round and awkwardly shaped samples up to Ø51mm. Equally useful as metallographic mounts holder for 50mm / 2” mounts. Made from vacuum grade aluminium
EM-Tec R98 – Universal large bulk sample holder with 4 mounting pillars on a Ø117mm pin plate. Mounting pillars can be spaced on the pin plate to accommodate large awkwardly shaped sample op to 98mm in diameter. Made from vacuum grade aluminium with stainless steel thumb screws.

Centering vise holder

The EM-Tec CV1 large centering vise SEM sample holder keeps the sample always clamped in the centre of the holder. Both vise clamp jaws simultaneously move away or to the centre of the holder at the same time. The EM-Tec CV1 large centering vise clamp includes two base plates on which the vise jaws can be re-positioned for optimum sample compatibility. The brass dual vise spindle is located underneath the baseplates with knurled handles at both ends. The spindle can be operated from either side.

Features of the EM-Tec CV1 large centering vise SEM sample holder are:

provides firm grip for large and heavy samples
automatically holds the sample in the centre of the SEM stage
easier navigation from the centre of the SEM
positionable vise jaws on the base plate for optimum sample compatibility
standard stage clamps from 0 to 110mm
spindle extension can be removed to reduce overall size
optional extension base plates allows clamping from 0 to 155mm
standard vise jaws with triple grooved side and smooth side
optional vise jaw with single 120° groove for round samples

1- Sample holder for up to 110mm closed
2- Sample holder for up to 110mm open
3- Sample holder extended size closed
4- Sample holder extended size open

TSB 12-000202 EM-Tec CV1 large centering vise

Compact and universal vises

Vise type sample holders are quick and easy to use. They hold the sample by clamping it between the moving jaws, this enables quick sample loading and reduces down time. They especially useful when similar samples or series of the same sample need to be examined.
The compact and/or springloaded EM-Tec SEM sample holders currently available are:

EM-Tec V22 compact vise sample holder for sample sizes up from 0-22mm. One fixed jaw and a spindle driven moving jaw. Cost-effective compact vise which can be used in both standard SEMs and table top SEMs. Made from vacuum grade aluminium, brass spindle and stainless steel screws.
EM-Tec MV22 combined compact vise holder (0-22mm) plus multi pin stub holder for up to 5 standard 12.7mm pin stubs. This cost-effective multi holder has been designed for table top SEMs and SEMs with smaller specimen stages. One fixed jaw and spindle drive to move other jaw. Made from vacuum grade aluminium, brass spindle and stainless steel screws.
EM-Tec 3V22 triple compact vise holder includes three separately adjustable EM-Tec V22 compact vises on a single base plate. Enables holding and investigating three different samples to save on SEM venting and pumping time. Made from vacuum grade aluminium, brass spindles and stainless steel screws.
EM-Tec VS8 mini single action spring-loaded vise for samples with a maximum clamping size of 8mm. The vise is opened by pulling the moving vise jaw. Ideal for quickly loading thin cross-sections. The vise base dimensions are Ø25 x 12.5mm height. Made from vacuum grade aluminium with stainless steel rods and springs.
EM-Tec VS12 is a compact single action spring-loaded vise for samples with a maximum clamping size of 12mm. The vise is opened by pushing the moving vise jaw with a push rod. The push rod can be removed when the holder is loaded in the SEM. Dowel pins can be inserted in the fixed and moving jaws to increase the opening to a sample size up to 18mm diameter or to hold awkwardly shaped samples; 4 dowel pins are included. Made from vacuum grade aluminium with stainless steel rods and springs.
EM-Tec VS26 is a compact double action spring-loaded vise for samples with a maximum clamping size of 26mm. Due to the double sided spring, this vise acts as a centering vise. The vise jaws are opened by push rods which can be removed when the sample holder is loaded in the SEM. Dowel pins can be inserted in the jaws to increase the opening to a sample size up to 34mm diameter or to hold irregular shaped samples; 4 dowel pin are included. Made from vacuum grade aluminium with stainless steel rods and springs.
EM-Tec VS43 universal double sided spring-loaded larger vise for samples with a maximum vise opening of 42mm. Different type of jaws can be mounted on the EM-Tec universal spring-loaded vise. Opens by pulling the jaws. Dowel pin pins be inserted in the brass slider to extend the opening size and to hold awkwardly shaped samples. With the dowel pins a disc of up 50mm diameter can be held; 4 dowel pins are included. Includes triple grooved/smooth vise jaws.

The EM-Tec vise sample holders are available with pin and with an M4 threaded hole.

Specifications of the EM-Tec compact and universal vise clamp holders:

C-Square multi pin stub holders

The EM-Tec C-Square multi pin stub holders are primarily designed to hold multiple Ø12.7mm and/or Ø25.4mm pin stubs with the standard 3.2mm pin diameter. Larger or smaller pin stubs can also be used on the EM-Tec C-Square multi pin stub holders. They offer optimum X-Y coverage of the SEM stage and allow for easy alignment with the square sides and additionally engraved lines in X-Y directions. To facilitate quick and easy loading and exchange of the pin stubs, proprietary conductive gripping O-rings hold the pin stubs in place and provide a conductive path at the same time.

The EM-Tec C-Square multi pin stub holders are available in 7 different sizes:

EM-Tec CS9/4 C-Square multi pin stub holder for 9x Ø12.7mm or 4 x Ø25.4mm pin stubs
EM-Tec CS16/4 C-Square multi pin stub holder for 16x Ø12.7mm or 4 x Ø25.4mm pin stubs
EM-Tec CS18/6 C-Square multi pin stub holder for 18x Ø12.7mm or 6 x Ø25.4mm pin stubs
EM-Tec CS25/4 C-Square multi pin stub holder for 25x Ø12.7mm or 4 x or 9 x Ø25.4mm pin stubs
EM-Tec CS36/9 C-Square multi pin stub holder for 36x Ø12.7mm or 9 x Ø25.4mm pin stubs
EM-Tec CS49/9 C-Square multi pin stub holder for 49x Ø12.7mm or 9 x Ø25.4mm pin stubs
EM-Tec CS64/16 C-Square multi pin stub holder for 64 x Ø12.7mm or 16 x Ø25.4mm pin stubs

Feature and benefits of the EM-Tec C-Square multi pin stub holders:

Conductive pin gripping O-rings for quick and easy exchange of stubs
Compatible with standard pin stubs and short Zeiss pin stubs with 3.2mm pin diameter
Square holders optimised for X-Y travel directions
Reference point in the upper right corner
Easy programmable locations
Alphanumeric location ID
Engraved orientation lines to facilitate X-Y alignment
Fully compatible with all EM-Tec SEM stage adapters
Ideal for automated SEM/EDX particle analysis and GSR analysis
Suitable for correlative & corroborative microscopy applications

Specifications of the EM-Tec C-square multi pin stub holders:

EBSD sample holders

The EM-Tec EBSD pre-tilt sample holders all include a 70° pre-tilt angle to facilitate EBSD analysis. With a 70° pre-tilt angle there is no need to tilt the SEM sample stage. Using 70° pre-tilted holders instead of tilting the SEM stage offer definite advantages:

Correct EBSD angle when loading sample
No stage drift in Z-direction
Choice of 70° or 20° pre-tilt

The EM-Tec EBSD sample holder kits combine a number of available EM-Tec SEM sample holders: metallographic mount holders, geological slide holder, small vise type holders and S-Clip holders. These are combine with the EBSD 70° pre-tilt holder and a height extender if needed. The EM-Tec P70 and H70 pre-tilt EBSD holders include both 70° pre-tilt and -20° pre-tilt to enable EBSD measurements at 90° angle at the same sample. The EM-Tec EBSD 70° pre-tilt holders are available with pin and M4 threaded hole. The available EM-Tec EBSD sample holders and sample holder kits with 70° pre-tilt angle are:

EM-Tec P70 / H70 EBSD holder for pin stubs and pin stub type sample holders, pin / M4
EM-Tec P70M / H70M EBSD holder for Hitachi M4 stubs and M4 threaded holders, with pin / M4
EM-Tec P71 / H71 EBSD sample holder kit for 25mm (1”) metallographic mounts, with pin / M4
EM-Tec P72 / H72 EBSD sample holder kit for 30mm (1-1/4”) metallographic mounts, with pin / M4
EM-Tec P73 / H73 EBSD sample holder kit for up to 48x28mm geological slides, with pin /M4
EM-Tec P74 / H74 EBSD sample holder kit for FIB lamellas, with pin / M4
EM-Tec P75 / H75 EBSD S-clip sample holder kit for Si chips & thin samples, with pin / M4
EM-Tec P76 / H76 EBSD mini vise clamp holder for cross-section samples up to 4mm, with pin / M4
EM-Tec P77 / H77 EBSD mini split mount vise holder for cross-section samples up to 8mm, with pin / M4
EM-Tec P78 / H78 EBSD vise clamp holder for samples up to 16mm, with pin / M4
EM-Tec TE1 t-EBSD holder for a single TEM / FIB Lift-out grid with pin / M4
EM-Tec TE3 t-EBSD holder for three TEM / FIB Lift-out grids with pin / M4

EBSD-3D holder FEI/Thermo

The EBSD-3D sample holder for FEI / Thermo DualBeam FESEM/FIB systems permits FIB milling of the sample and subsequent acquisition of EBSD data. Repeatedly rotating the sample 180 between the milling and the EBSD mapping positions enables collecting 3D EBSD mapping data. This holder is to be used with the FEI EBS3 software and FEI / Thermo DualBeam systems.
The EBSD-3D holder can be used to analyse either the surface or a cross-section of a sample. The angles on the EBSD-3D sample holder are 54° (short facet) and 36° (long facet). The sample holder is mounted in the centre of the sample stage with M6 fine thread. The sample stage should be set at 16° tilt.

For analysing cross sections, the sample should be mounted on the short facet, with the 16° pre-tilt this would represent 36° + 16° = 52° tilt; the cross section is now perpendicular to the FIB column. When the EBSD-3D holder is rotated by 180°, the milled sample surface is then at the 70° angle (54° + 16°) for EBSD data collection.
For analysing larger surfaces, the sample should be mounted on the long facet, with the 16 pre-tilt this would represent 36° + 16° = 52° ; the sample surface is now perpendicular to the FIB column. When the EBSD-3D holder is rotated by 180°, the milled sample surface is at the 70° angle (54° + 16°) for EBSD data collection.

Made from vacuum grade aluminium. Produced in cooperation with FEI EBS3 users.

FIB grid holders

The EM-Tec FIB grid holders are designed to hold FIB grids and provide easy access to the posts on the FIB grids to attach the milled FIB lift-out lamellae. The FIB grid holders can be used in the FIB/SEM systems but also for safe storage of the FIB grids with attached lamellae. The EM-Tec FIB grid and sample holders are compact holders which hold the FIB grids directly aside a standard SEM pin stub with a sample. The lift-out lamellas only need to be moved over a short distance to attach them to the FIB grids. The EM-Tec FIB grid holders are all precision machined from vacuum grade aluminium:

EM-Tec F12 is a basic yet practical FIB grid holder for 2 FIB grids. Based on the standard Ø12.7mm pin stub it is compact, low cost and useful for storing valuable samples. The 10mm wide vise clamp includes a ledge for easy positioning of the FIB grids. Available with standard pin and short Zeiss pin (EM-Tec F12Z)
EM-Tec F18 is a high capacity FIB grid holding stub for holding up to 8 FIB grids with 4 individual small clamps. It is basically 4 x the EM-Tec F12 on a 25.4mm (1”) stub. Each of the 10mm wide vise clamps includes a ledge for easy positioning of the FIB grids. Ideal for safe storage of the FIB grids with lamellas or for high throughput FIB applications.
EM-Tec F25 is a larger FIB grid holder which can accommodate up to 5 FIB grids of the same thickness. The 25mm wide vise includes a ledge for easy positioning of the FIB grids and two brass thumb screws to operate the vise. Available with pin stub and M4 threaded hole.
EM-Tec FS21 combines the EM-Tec F12 FIB grid holder with two standard 12.7mm (1/2”) pin stubs. The F12 FIB grid holder and the sample stubs can be rotated in the holder for selecting the optimum orientation in the FIB/SEM system. The EM-Tec FS21 FIB grid and sample holder enables loading the samples and FIB grids close together. The FIB grid and the sample stubs are at the same level when using Si wafer samples. Available with pin stub and M4 threaded hole.
EM-Tec FS22 combines two F12 FIB grid holders with two standard 12.7mm (1/1”) pin stubs within a 27x27mm footprint. Both the F12 FIB grid holders and the pin stubs can be rotated independently in the holder for selecting the optimum orientation in the FIB/SEM system. The EM-Tec FS22 dual FIB grid and sample holder enables loading the samples and FIB grids close together. The FIB grid and the sample stubs are at the same level when using Si wafer samples. Available with pin stub and M4 threaded hole.
EM-Tec FS25 combines the wider FIB grid holder vise with a holder for samples on the Ø25.4mm pin stubs in a single compact holder. This provides a single loading cycle for FIB grids and samples and short distances from lift-out to lamellae mounting. Wafer type sample surface is at the same height as the FIB grid posts. Available with pin stub and M4 threaded hole.

These holders can all be used on th FIB and FIB/SEM systems from FEI, Hitachi, Zeiss and Tescan.For JEOL FIB/SEM systems use a suitable EM-Tec stub adapter.

Capacity, size and compatibility of EM-Tec FIB grid holders and FIB grid sample holders:

Filter disc holders

The EM-Tec filter disc holders are developed to hold flat discs type filters to enable SEM / EDS analysis. The EM-Tec filter disc holders comprise of two parts; a flat base plate to hold the filter disc and a cap which acts as clamping ring to keep the filter flat on the base. The cap is secured with three screws at the side of the base plate. The base plate and clamping ring are made from vacuum aluminium; the screws are made form stainless steel. The EM-Tec filter disc holders are available for 13, 25, 35 and 47mm filter discs. Custom diameters can be made on request. The edge of the cap has a 45° angle to avoid contribution of aluminium to the EDS spectra. The EM-Tec filter disc holders enable SEM / EDS analysis of particles, fibres and debris on the filters. They are available with:

standard pin to fit on SEM using the standard pin; FEI, Philips, Tescan, Phenom, Aspex, RJLee, AmRay, Cambridge Instruments, Leica, CamScan, Aspex, ETEC and Novascan SEMs.
M4 threaded hole; compatible with Hitachi SEMs, FESEMs and table top SEMs and with the EM-Tec versatile SEM stage adapters
Ø14mm JEOL stub compatible with JEOL and EM-Tec stage adapters with a Ø14mm connection

Capacity and dimensions for the EM-Tec filter disc holders:

Geological slide holders

The EM-Tec geological thin section or petrographic slide holders are especially designed to securely hold geological thin sections on petrographic slides for imaging and analysis with an SEM, EPMA or specially configured mineral analyzers. They are used for SEM/EDS imaging and analysis in geology, mineralogy and petrography. The EM-Tec thin section holders are compatible with petrographic slides sizes of 28x48mm, 27x46mm, 26x46mm and 25x45mm. We currently offer two types of geological thin section holders:

Geological thin section holders and slide holders with S-Clips
- EM-Tec G0 universal thin section slide holder for a single slide
- EM-Tec G2.0 universal petrographic slide holder for two slides
- EM-Tec G4.0 universal petrographic slide holder for four slides
Reference type geological thin section holders with a reference edge
- EM-Tec RG2 twin petrographic slide top reference holder for two up to 48x28mm slides
- EM-Tec RG4 four petrographic slide top reference holder for four up to 48x28mm slides

All EM-Tec petrographic slide section holders are available with a standard 3.2mm pin, with an M4 threaded hole or with a Ø14mm stub for JEOL SEM stage adapters with a 14mm connection.

Technical Support Bulletin: EM-Tec G0, G1, G2 &G4 geological thin section and slide holders with S-clips
Technical Support Bulletin: EM-Tec RG2 + RG4 geological thin sections top reference holders

Capacity, size and compatibility of the EM-Tec geological thin section on petrographic slide holders: