Electron Spectroscopy

Summary

This chapter first reviews the physical principles of X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) processes along with their strengths and weaknesses, and then considers the uses and applications of the two methods. XPS provides sensitive elemental analysis of a surface, but its great advantage is that it can provide a chemical state analysis as well. The use of a finely focused electron beam for AES enables people to achieve surface analysis at a high spatial resolution, in a manner analogous to electron probe microanalysis in the scanning electron microscope. Because of the complementary nature of the two methods and the ease with which Auger and photoelectron analyses can be made on the same instrument, the two methods have come to be regarded as the most important methods of surface analysis in the context of materials science. All manufacturers of electron spectrometers offer both XPS and AES options for their systems.