Practical Electron Microscopy and Database

The TEM specimen holders used for EDS analysis are normally made from a material with a low atomic number such as beryllium (Be) or carbon (C) in order to reduce/minimize the following effects from the specimen holder:
        i) The number of backscattered electrons.
        ii) The effect of spurious characteristic x-ray peaks.
        iii) The hard X-ray background (high-energy Bremsstrahlung X-rays generated by electron irradiation).

It is important to mention that Be is poisonous, so that touching a beryllium tip with the fingers is not allowed.