VAMAS TWA2 Project A2: evaluation of static charge stabilization and determination methods in XPS on non-conducting samples. Report on an inter-laboratory comparison

First results of an inter-laboratory comparison (27 participants in Europe, Japan and USA) of XPS data obtained with non-conducting samples are presen ted. Binding energies of Al 2s for alumina, N 1s and imide C Is for Kapton and Sr 3p(3/2) for a strontium titanate film on glass were obtained after s tatic charge referencing with the help of 15 nm gold particles deposited at the surface of the test samples. For the alumina sample C Is static charge referenced data are also presented. Repeat standard deviations (s(r)), bet ween standard deviations (s(b)), reproducibility standard deviations (s(R)) and total means are evaluated from the experimental data. It can be stated that although the repeat standard deviation is as small as 0.05 eV in the best case, the standard deviation characterizing the reproducibility of the method is obviously not better than 0.15 eV in the best case at the presen t time. The knowledge of these standard deviations is important for metrolo gy, validations of analytical procedures relying on qualitative photoelectr on spectroscopy and XPS databanking, Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.