Detection limits in XPS for more than 6000 binary systems using Al and Mg Kα X‐rays

Abstract

A simple approach to estimating the detection limits of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) for any element in any elemental matrix is presented, using the intensity of the background at the expected position for the photoelectron peak to be detected. The approach has been extended to estimate the detection limit for all elements from lithium to bismuth in a similar range of elemental matrices. Using a number of assumptions, it is possible to obtain a reasonable estimate of the background intensity at any electron kinetic energy in the XPS spectrum of an element. Therefore, a detection limit for an arbitrary element homogeneously distributed in that matrix can be estimated. The results show that, although most elements are detectable at about the 1 at.% to 0.1 at.% level, for heavy elements in a light element matrix, the detection limit can be better than 0.01 at.%, whereas for light elements in a heavy element matrix, detection limits above 10 at.% are not uncommon. Two charts detailing the detection limits for all combinations of trace and matrix elements from lithium (Z = 3) to bismuth (Z = 83) are provided for Al Kα and Mg Kα X-ray sources using a typical hemispherical analyser instrument which provides 10 6 counts eV for the Ag 3d 5/2 peak from pure silver. These detection limits can be scaled to estimate the detection limits for any given instrument and operating conditions if the intensity of the Ag 3d 5/2 peak from pure silver under those conditions is known.

Stability of Organic Cations in Solution-Processed CH3NH3PbI3 Perovskites: Formation of Modified Surface Layers

“…the Cl concentration at the sample surface is below its detection limit (which is approximately 1% atomic concentration 17 ). We compared the spectra acquired at normal emission to a new set of spectra (see Figure S1 in the supporting information) acquired at grazing emission.…”

Evidence of the Enrichment of Transition Metal Elements on Corroding Magnesium Surfaces Using Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry

“…This is likely due to the unique nature of Mg being found to be incompatible with the goal of heavy (i.e., transition) element detection, in trace concentrations, in a light atom matrix on the basis that the signal to noise ratio is very low using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS), where the interaction volume (nominally hundreds of μm 3 ) is too large to detect surface enrichment in a nanometer scale zone. Furthermore, detection limits for EDXS, 37 X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), 38 and Auger electron spectroscopy 39 are typically between 0.1-1 at%. Glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy (GDOES) has also been attempted, as surface composition profiles on the order to tens of micrometers are possible with GDOES.…”

Direct Synthesis of Porous Carbon Materials Prepared from Diethyldithiocarbamate Metal Complexes and Their Electrochemical Behavior

“…A very low amount of nitrogen (1.2 at%) was detected for CMFe, probably N 2 gas was adsorbed at the surface. Surface amount of Fe, Co, Ni in the obtained CM materials is under the detection limit of XPS (around 0.1 at%), 59 which indicates that there are no encapsulated metal particles in the carbon structures as can also be observed in the TEM images presented above. These metal particles were probably removed from the hot zone of the tubular furnace by the gas used in the decomposition experiments.…”