QUANTITATIVE XPS - NONDESTRUCTIVE ANALYSIS OF SURFACE NANOSTRUCTURES

The usual procedure for quantification by electron spectroscopy that i s based on measured peak intensities is shown to be highly unreliable. It is pointed out that the peak shape in a wide energy range, on the low kinetic energy side of the peak, varies considerably with the surf ace morphology on the nano-meter depth scale. This observation has in recent years been applied in the formulation of a new method for quant ification that is based on quantitative analysis of measured peak shap es. The technique is sensitive on the similar to 1-10 nm depth scale a nd it is non-destructive. Some aspects of the physical basis of this t echnique are discussed and examples are given where the method has bee n applied in practice.