Development of multi-modal surface research equipment by combining TREXS with IRRAS

We have developed a type of surface sensitive x-ray spectroscopy, which is called total reflection x-ray spectroscopy (TREXS). As x-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy is used to study many materials, TREXS provides structural and electronic information with the surface sensitivity of ~2–3 nm, and will be a powerful method to study surfaces. It is required, however, to observe surface chemical species to understand surface chemical reactions more comprehensively. Infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS) is suitable to detect surface chemical species, and the multi-modal surface research equipment of TREXS combined with IRRAS has been developed. The performance of the developed equipment was confirmed by measuring TREXS and IRRAS spectra for the NiO/Ni(30 nm)/Si and Ni(30 nm)/Si samples. The equipment can be applied to study various surface chemical reactions under gaseous conditions.