Recent Developments in Surface and Thin Film Analysis using Low - Energy Electron Induced X-Ray Spectrometry (LEEIXS)

Abstract

AbstractA review is given of the main gas-discharge sources and auxiliary equipments which were used in soft and ultra-soft X-ray emission spectrometry. Special attention is paid to the basic principles and instrumentation of low-energy electron-induced X-ray spectrometry (LEEIXS) whose excitation source is an electron beam generated in a glow-discharge system. Capabilities of LEEIXS in surface and thin film analysis and characterization are illustrated by examples dealing with control and optimization of surface treatment and thin film deposition processes. Sensitivity of the technique down to the submonolayer range and influence of backscattering phenomena are shown.