X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), is referred as electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA), is a surface analytical technique that has matured into an essential tool for many materials characterisation laboratory’s since the introduction of the first commercial instrument in the late 1960s.
The technique is widely used because it is very simple to use and the data is to easy to analyse. XPS works by irradiating atoms of a surface of any solid material with X-Ray photons, causing the ejection of electrons. The instrument uses different pump systems to reach the goal of an Ultra High Vacuum (UHV) environment. The Ultra High Vacuum environment will prevent contamination of the surface and aid an accurate analysis of the sample. The X-Rays penetrate the sample to a depth on the order of a micrometer. Useful e-signal is obtained only from a depth of around 10 to 100 Å on the surface. The binding energies can be determined from the peak positions and the elements present in the sample identified.[reblex id=’7149′]
