AbstractX-ray excited Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) has become an indispensable tool for the study of metals and semiconductors. Due to the small mean free path of the photoelectrons In solids of the order of a few nanometers for energies in the keV range, it is a surface analysis technique. Its capability of quantitative analysis of all elements except hydrogen and helium and their chemical bonding states has recently been combined with small area and imaging analysis to typical spatial resolutions of about 10 μm. After a brief survey of the basic capabilities and limitations of XPS, some illustrative examples in typical metals and semiconductor research areas are presented, such as surface contamination and failure analysis in microelectronics, oxidation and corrosion, segregation at surfaces and interfaces, oxide/metal and oxide/semiconductor interfaces, and thin film analysis using angle resolved XPS and sputter depth profiling. Recent developments emphasize improved data evaluation and quantification schemes as well as instrumental capabilities with respect to both high spatial and energy resolution, and high power excitation sources such as synchrotron radiation.
Thin film analysis by x-ray microanalysis using gaussian Φ (ρ z) curves