026: XPS for Beginners – Fundamentals 6

QUIZ TIME!

Let’s play ‘To fit or not to fit!’

The rules of the game are simple, we give you a spectrum (or multiple spectra) and some background behind what information the researcher wanted and you decide whether or not we need to deconvolute/fit the data or if we can learn all we need from the raw spectra itself. Note – none of these examples are of or even based on real research or researchers.

ROUND ONE

This researcher synthesised some novel titania based nanomaterials. XPS was performed to determine that the final material was TiO₂ and not a mixture of titania and various suboxides.

Don’t Fit!

We can obtain all of the information we need just from looking at the line profile of this spectrum. Ti 4+ produces a simple doublet which can be described in terms of:

Area(1/2) = Area(3/2) x 0.5

FWHM(1/2) = FWHM(3/2) x

Position(1/2) = Position(3/2) + 5.7 eV (Binding energy)

If you need a reminder of where these come from, check out our article on spin-orbit splitting

Note: Ti is one of a few rare cases where FWHM (1/2) =/= FWHM (3/2). To learn why, read our article on Coster-Kronig transitions.

Knowledge Base

026: XPS for Beginners – Fundamentals 6

Was this article helpful?

Leave A Comment? Cancel Reply

HarwellXPS Guru

Knowledge Base

Was this article helpful?

Related Articles

Leave A Comment? Cancel Reply

HarwellXPS Guru

Follow Us