XPS Insight Note—Strategies for Obtaining Peak Shapes and Inferring Chemistry

Abstract

The chemical specificity of x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) for the analysis of surfaces is well established. However, overlapping peaks and complex peak shapes can hinder routine analysis of spectra. Studies involving controlled changes to samples to systematically change photoelectron spectra can reveal invaluable information on peak shapes and hidden spectral features. This insight note is presented to educate users in embracing and utilising changes in spectra to facilitate spectral analysis.