[en] Photoemission spectroscopy (PES) has been used widely to study the electronic structure of valence and core levels. However, conventional PES is surface-sensitive. To probe the interface and bulk properties of materials, hard X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (HXPES) has received increasing interest in the last decade, because of the deep probing ability of photoelectrons with higher kinetic energies (2-10 keV). Recently, a HXPES system was developed at the Canadian Light Source, using the high-energy version of a R4000 electron analyzer-based spectrometer connected to a medium-energy beamline, the soft X-ray microcharacterization beamline (SXRMB). Excellent performance of the beamline and the spectrometer is demonstrated herein using Au Fermi and 4f core lines; and the controlled probing depth of HXPES at SXRMB is demonstrated by tuning the photon energy (2-9 keV) in the study of a series of SiO₂/SiC multilayer samples. Combined with the high-resolution X-ray absorption spectroscopy available at the SXRMB, the HXPES offers a powerful nondestructive technique for studying bulk properties of various materials. (author)

[en] Resistance switching phenomena in an amorphous Ni-Ti-O film were investigated. Very clear bipolar resistive switching characteristics were observed with good reproducibility. Stable retention and on/off pulse switching operation was demonstrated. An analysis of x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of the Ni-Ti-O film provided a clue that the observed unusual bipolar resistance switching in the film is due to a microscopic change in the Ni-O and Ti-O binding states at the Ni-Ti-O film/electrode interface.

[en] Highlights: • The need by industry for small area analysis spurred the advent of the XPS Microprobe. • The Microprobe design allows for rapid x-ray induced secondary electron imaging. • Small areas of interest can quickly be located and analyzed. • Industrial applications include varied types of failure and contamination analyses. • Multipoint depth profiles can be obtained in one acquisition with one sputter crater. - Abstract: We will review the evolution of x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS / ESCA) instrumentation and applications that led to the development of the scanning XPS microprobe, describe its unique capabilities, and how they have impacted the use of XPS for industrial applications.

[en] A perspective is given of the development and use of surface analysis, primarily by Auger-electron spectroscopy (AES) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), for solving scientific and technological problems. Information is presented on growth and trends in instrumental capabilities, instrumental measurements with reduced uncertainties, knowledge of surface sensitivity, and knowledge and effects of sample morphology. Available analytical resources are described for AES, XPS, and secondary-ion mass spectrometry. Finally, the role of the American Vacuum Society in stimulating improved surface analyses is discussed

[en] The employment of atmospheric pressure plasma jets (APPJs) in a large sort of applications is limited by the adversities related to the size of the treated area and the difficulty to reach the target. The use of devices that employ long tubes in their structure has contributed significantly to overcome these challenges. In this work, two different plasma systems employing the jet transfer technique are compared. The main difference between the two devices is how the long plastic tube was assembled. The first one uses a copper wire placed inside a long plastic tube. The other device has a metallic mesh installed in a concentric arrangement between two coaxial plastic tubes. As a result, the two APPJ systems exhibit different properties, with the wire assembly being more powerful, also presenting higher values for the electrical current and rotational temperature when compared to the mesh mounting. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) demonstrates that both configurations were capable of inserting O-containing functional groups on the polypropylene (PP) surface. However, the transferred plasma jet with wire assembly was able to add more functional groups on the PP surface. The results from XPS analysis were corroborated with water contact angle measurements (WCA), being that lower WCA values were obtained when the PP surface presented higher amounts of O-containing groups. Furthermore, the results suggest that the APPJ with wire configuration is more appropriate for material treatments, while the transferred jet with mesh arrangement tends to present lower electrical current values, being more suitable for biological applications. (© 2022 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

[en] X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), also called electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA), is widely used both in basic research and in analysis of materials, particularly in surface analysis. Using XPS we can obtain information on the elemental surface composition (except for H and He), and the electronic structure of the materials involved. This paper will briefly review the principle of XPS, basic qualitative and quantitative data analysis methods, and some application examples. (authors)

[en] In this study, the effects of corona plasma process on the dyeability and certain physical properties of woolen fabric were investigated. For this purpose, acid and 1.2 metal complex dyes, which are the most applicable dyes in the wool market were used. The patterns were examined to assess their dyeability, wettability, pilling resistance, alkali solubility, and strength values. The surface morphology and chemical structures were tested by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and alkali solubility analyses and also scanned by electron microscopy. Hydrophility indexes of the dyes that were used were determined. With the results of the experiments, their hydrophobic index is of vital importance, which is a factor for plasma efficiency on color depth. By using plasma treatment on woolen fabric, it is achievable to get a product with high hydrophility and pilling resistance values, dyeability, and less burdened dyeing bath.

[en] XAFS and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) are element specific techniques used in a great variety of research fields. The near edge regime of XAFS provides information on the unoccupied electronic states of a system. For the detailed interpretation of the XAFS results, input from XPS is crucial. The combination of the two techniques is also the basis for the so called core-hole clock technique. One of the important aspects of photoelectron spectroscopy is its chemical sensitivity and that one can obtain detailed information about the composition of a sample. We have for a series of carbon based model molecules carefully investigated the relationship between core level photoelectron intensities and stoichiometry. We find strong EXAFS-like modulations of the core ionization cross sections as function of photon energy and that the intensities at high photon energies converge towards values that do not correspond to the stoichiometric ratios. The photoelectron intensities are dependent on the local molecular structure around the ionized atoms. These effects are well described by molecular calculations using multiple scattering theory and by considering the effects due to monopole shake-up and shake-off as well as to intramolecular inelastic scattering processes.

[en] Highlights: • Question use of inhibition efficiency to obtain standard Gibbs energy of adsorption. • Demonstrate that inhibition efficiency is not always equivalent to surface coverage. • Probe validity of applying the Langmuir isotherm to a corrosion inhibitor system. -- Abstract: The common practice of using inhibition efficiency (η%) to determine the standard Gibbs energy of adsorption (${\text{ΔG}}_{\text{ads}}^{\text{o}}$) for a corrosion inhibitor in acidic solution is evaluated. It is demonstrated that the typical assumption that η% is a good proxy for fractional surface coverage (θ) is not necessarily valid. Consequently, the accuracy of the ${\text{ΔG}}_{\text{ads}}^{\text{o}}$ value obtained from such data is doubtful. Moreover, it is argued that even a more direct measurement of θ may still not allow one to extract an accurate estimate of ${\text{ΔG}}_{\text{ads}}^{\text{o}}$.

[en] Highlights: • Optimal tuning parameters for three parameter choice methods were sought. • Two profile shapes and three regularization orders were used. • Compromise tuning parameter values for 1st order regularization are suggested. - Abstract: Composition depth profiles were extracted from simulated ARXPS data using regularization, with the regularization parameter determined by three different methods (Robust GCV, Modified GCV, and the Discrepancy Principle) that require tuning parameters. For each method, the optimal tuning parameter was determined for two input profile shapes, three Tikhonov regulators (0th, 1st, and 2nd order), and data noise ranging from 1% to 9%. Although universally applicable optimal tuning parameters were not identified, it was found that certain values could consistently produce acceptable results for the input profiles used in this study