ESCA (electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis) is a general purpose analytical technique for studying the surface properties of a wide variety of materials and material problems. To meet the widest range of experimental conditions, an ESCA instrument should be easily adaptable to the problem under study. The experimental parameters that must be optimized include: spatial resolution; spectral resolution; spectral purity; sample damage; sample presentation; speed of analysis; depth of analysis; sensitivity.In this paper, we will discuss various concepts used to control these experimental parameters. The discussion will provide an analysis of various methods used to obtain high spatial resolution. Finally, we will describe how to optimize instrument performance for some specific experimental situations.

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