X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is uniquely placed as a quantitative surface analysis technique which can provide elemental composition as well as the chemical and electronic state of the top ~10 nm of a solid material. Both conducting and insulating samples can be studied as the instruments are equipped with charge neutralisation. Wafers, solid samples and powders can be loaded directly in to
the instrument, while solutions can be drop-cast or spin-coated on to an appropriate substrate and dried before being loaded in to the vacuum. The valence band and core energy levels are accessible with our Al Ka x-ray sources.
Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) employs He I and He II photon emission to study the work function of a material, as well as locating the valence band maximum energy with respect to the Fermi level. Samples generally need to be conductive or consist of thin films on conductive substrates.
The Photoemission RTP has many years of experience in dealing with both academic and industrial surface characterisation projects across the full spectrum of the sciences. The RTP hosts two modern instruments, both capable of performing surface characterisation experiments with XPS and UPS.
The Kratos Axis Ultra DLD spectrometer is a high throughput instrument with automated sample positioning and data acquisition. The instrument is also capable of XPS-imaging of surfaces to a resolution of 3 microns, depth profiling of surfaces and annealing to 600 °C. Samples can be loaded via an inert transfer vessel from a suitable N2 or Ar glovebox.
The Omicron Multiprobe spectrometer also provides routine XPS and UPS, in addition to depth profiling, annealing to 850 °C in vacuum, examining the periodicity of crystalline surfaces with low energy electron diffraction (LEED) and transfer from
compatible vacuum systems using a vacuum suitcase. The preparation chamber also houses a thermal gas cracker and a port for user deposition sources.
