Sample preparation and mounting are important aspects of x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. New users do not know many techniques that are familiar to analysts with years of experience, and these observations and “tricks of the trade” are typically not published. This article is intended to convey the experience of the authors in this field who have creatively analyzed a wide range of samples. Samples can include solids, powders, fibers, porous solids, and even liquids. This information is also important to anyone submitting samples for analysis, since the preparation of the sample may influence the usefulness of the data collected. These techniques are also applicable to other surface analysis methods.
REFERENCES
2.
D. R.
Baer
et al, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A
37
, 031401
(2019
). 3.
M. R.
Linford
et al, Microsc. Microanal.
26
, 1
(2020
). 4.
J. F.
Moulder
, W. F.
Stickle
, P. E.
Sobol
, and K. D.
Bomben
, Handbook of X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy
, edited by J.
Chastain
(Physical Electronics Division
, Perkin-Elmer
, Eden Prairie
, MN
, 1992
), pp. 12
–14
.5.
J. F.
Watts
and J.
Wolstenholme
, An Introduction to Surface Analysis by XPS and AES
(Wiley
, Chichester
, 2020
), pp. 145
–154
.6.
D.
Briggs
and M. P.
Seah
, Practical Surface Analysis, Vol. I. Auger and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy
(Wiley
, Chichester
, 1990
), pp. 36
–51
.7.
J.
Geller
, Surface Analysis by Auger and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy
, edited by D.
Briggs
and J. T.
Grant
(IMPublications
, Chicester
, 2003
), pp. 89
–116
.8.
ASTM E1829-14
, Standard Guide for Handling Specimens Prior to Surface Analysis
(ASTM
, West Conshohocken
, PA
, 2014
).9.
ASTM E1028-02
, Standard Guide for Specimen Preparation and Mounting in Surface Analysis
(ASTM
, West Conshohocken
, PA
, 2002
).10.
ISO 18116
, Surface Chemical Analysis—Guide to Preparation and Mounting of Specimens for Analysis
(ISO
, Geneva
, 2004
).11.
ISO Standard 18117
, Surface Chemical Analysis—Handling of Specimens Prior to Analysis
(ISO
, Geneva
, 2009
).12.
ISO 20579-4
, Guidelines to Sample Handling, Preparation and Mounting—Part 4: Reporting Information Related to the History, Preparation, Handling and Mounting of Nano-Objects Prior to Surface Analysis
(ISO
, Geneva
, 2018).13.
K.
Siegbahn
, Rev. Mod. Phys.
54
, 709
(1982
). 14.
J. F.
Watts
and J.
Wolstenholme
, An Introduction to Surface Analysis by XPS and AES
(Wiley
, Chichester
, 2020
), p. 146
.15.
Transport of Ions in matter, see: www.SRIM.org.
16.
J. F.
Watts
and J.
Wolstenholme
, An Introduction to Surface Analysis by XPS and AES
(Wiley
, Chichester
, 2020
), pp. 97
–131
.17.
A. G.
Shard
, F. M.
Green
, P. J.
Brewer
, M. P.
Seah
, and I. S.
Gilmore
, J. Phys. Chem. B
112
, 2596
(2008
). 18.
N.
Sanada
, A.
Yamamoto
, R.
Oiwa
, and Y.
Ohashi
, Surf. Interface Anal.
36
, 280
(2004
). 19.
I.
Yamada
, J.
Matsuo
, N.
Toyoda
, and A.
Kirkpatrick
, Mater. Sci. Eng.
R34
, 231
(2001
). 20.
T.
Miyayama
, N.
Sanada
, S. R.
Bryan
, J. S.
Hammond
, and M.
Suzuki
, Surf. Interface Anal.
42
, 1453
(2010
). 21.
D. R.
Baer
, D. J. H.
Cant
, D. G.
Castner
, G.
Ceccone
, M. H.
Englehard
, A. S.
Karakoti
, and A.
Muller
, Characterization of Nanoparticles: Measurement Processes for Nanoparticles
, edited by V.-D.
Hodoroaba
, W. E. S.
Unger
, and A. G.
Shard
(Elsevier
, Amsterdam
, 2020
), p. 316
.22.
A.
Shchukarev
, J. F.
Boily
, and A. R.
Felmy
, J. Phys. Chem. C
111
, 18307
(2007
). 23.
P. G.
Rouxhet
and M. J.
Genet
, Surf. Interface Anal.
43
, 1453
(2011
). 24.
A.
Shchukarev
and M.
Ramstedt
, Surf. Interface Anal.
49
, 349
(2016
). 25.
L.
Zhong
, D.
Chen
, and S.
Zafeiratos
, Catal. Sci. Technol.
9
, 3851
(2019
). 26.
R. M.
Palomino
, R.
Hamyln
, Z.
Liu
, D. C.
Grinter
, I.
Waluyo
, J. A.
Rodriquez
, and S. D.
Senanayake
, J. Electron Spectrosc. Relat. Phenom.
221
, 28
(2017
). 27.
A. F.
Gerwing
, F. E.
Doern
, and W. H.
Hocking
, Surf. Interface Anal.
14
, 559
(1989
). 28.
A.
Zalar
, Thin Solid Films
124
, 223
(1985
). 29.
A.
Zalar
and S.
Hofmann
, Appl. Surf. Sci.
68
, 361
(1993
). 30.
C. D.
Easton
, C.
Kinnear
, S. L.
McArthur
, and T. R.
Gengenbach
, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A
38
, 023207
(2020
). 31.
D. R.
Baer
, J. Vac. Sci. Technol., A
38
, 031201
(2020
). 32.
K.
Hellgardt
and D.
Chadwick
, Rev. Sci. Instrum.
67
, 4025
(1996
). 33.
ISO TR 22335, Surface Chemical Analysis—Depth Profiling–Measurement of Sputtering Rate: Mesh-replica Method Using a Stylus Profilometer (
ISO
, Geneva
, 2007).© 2020 Author(s).
2020
Author(s)
You do not currently have access to this content.
