Introduction and Outline

Abstract

By the middle of the last century, it became obvious that the chemical composition of surfaces and interfaces in atomic dimensions determines many properties of materials. For example, corrosion and oxidation, intergranular brittle fracture, wear and friction, and electronic properties strongly depend on surface and interfacial microchemistry [1.1]. Therefore, there was a growing demand for analysis on the atomic layer scale. This fact enhanced the rapid development of surface analysis methods based on ion and electron spectroscopy. Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) was the first technique used for surface analysis of solids, followed by X-ray-induced photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Both techniques have outstanding features when compared with other surface and interface analysis techniques (see Chap. 10). They are characterized by a relatively small matrix effect, by the capability of easy elemental identification and the detection of chemical bonds, and they are principally nondestructive. Furthermore, particularly in AES, an outstanding spatial resolution and, in XPS, a high energy-resolution enable mapping of elements and of chemical states. AES and XPS can be easily combined with ion sputtering to obtain high-resolution compositional depth profiles in thin films. Today, surface analysis methods using AES and XPS are the backbone of any materials research laboratory. By their application, a large number of topics in materials science can be successfully treated, as compiled in Table 1.1. By this book, the reader is provided with the knowledge necessary to understand AES and XPS and to successfully apply these techniques to solve typical problems.