ASTM E1217-11

Standard Practice for Determination of the Specimen Area Contributing to the Detected Signal in Auger Electron Spectrometers and Some X-Ray Photoelectron Spectrometers

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
Auger electron spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy are used extensively for the surface analysis of materials. This practice summarizes methods for determining the specimen area contributing to the detected signal (a) for instruments in which a focused electron beam can be scanned over a region with dimensions greater than the dimensions of the specimen area viewed by the analyzer, and (b) by employing a sample with a sharp edge.
This practice is intended as a means for determining the observed specimen area for selected conditions of operation of the electron energy analyzer. The observed specimen area depends on whether or not the electrons are retarded before energy analysis, the analyzer pass energy or retarding ratio if the electrons are retarded before energy analysis, the size of selected slits or apertures, and the value of the electron energy to be measured. The observed specimen area depends on these selected conditions of operation and also can depend on the adequacy of alignment of the specimen with respect to the electron energy analyzer.
Any changes in the observed specimen area as a function of measurement conditions, for example, electron energy or analyzer pass energy, may need to be known if the specimen materials in regular use have lateral inhomogeneities with dimensions comparable to the dimensions of the specimen area viewed by the analyzer.
This practice can give useful information on the imaging properties of the electron energy analyzer for particular conditions of operation. This information can be helpful in comparing analyzer performance with manufacturer's specifications.
Information about the shape and size of the area viewed by the analyzer can also be employed to predict the signal intensity in XPS experiments when the sample is rotated and to assess the axis of rotation of the sample manipulator.
Examples of the application of the methods described in this practice have been published (1-7).  
There are diffe...
SCOPE
1.1 This practice describes methods for determining the specimen area contributing to the detected signal in Auger electron spectrometers and some types of X-ray photoelectron spectrometers (spectrometer analysis area) when this area is defined by the electron collection lens and aperture system of the electron energy analyzer. The practice is applicable only to those X-ray photoelectron spectrometers in which the specimen area excited by the incident X-ray beam is larger than the specimen area viewed by the analyzer, in which the photoelectrons travel in a field-free region from the specimen to the analyzer entrance. Some of the methods described here require an auxiliary electron gun mounted to produce an electron beam of variable energy on the specimen (“electron-gun method”). Other experiments require a sample with a sharp edge, such as a wafer covered with a uniform clean layer (for example, gold (Au) or silver (Ag)) and cleaved to obtain a long side (“sharp-edge method”).
1.2 This practice is recommended as a useful means for determining the specimen area viewed by the analyzer for different conditions of spectrometer operation, for verifying adequate specimen and beam alignment, and for characterizing the imaging properties of the electron energy analyzer.
1.3 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 31-Oct-2011
• ICS: 71.040.50 - Physicochemical methods of analysis
• Technical Committee: E42 - Surface Analysis
• Drafting Committee: E42.03 - Auger Electron Spectroscopy and X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy

Relations

• Replaces: ASTM E1217-05 - Standard Practice for Determination of the Specimen Area Contributing to the Detected Signal in Auger Electron Spectrometers and Some X-Ray Photoelectron Spectrometers
• Effective Date: 01-Nov-2011
• Replaced By: ASTM E1217-11(2019) - Standard Practice for Determination of the Specimen Area Contributing to the Detected Signal in Auger Electron Spectrometers and Some X-Ray Photoelectron Spectrometers
• Effective Date: 01-Nov-2019
• Referred By: ASTM E1016-07(2020) - Standard Guide for Literature Describing Properties of Electrostatic Electron Spectrometers
• Effective Date: 01-Nov-2011
• Referred By: ASTM E2735-14(2020) - Standard Guide for Selection of Calibrations Needed for X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) Experiments
• Effective Date: 01-Nov-2011

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation: E1217 − 11
Standard Practice for
Determination of the Specimen Area Contributing to the
Detected Signal in Auger Electron Spectrometers and Some
1
X-Ray Photoelectron Spectrometers
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E1217; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope 2. Referenced Documents
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
1.1 This practice describes methods for determining the
E673 Terminology Relating to SurfaceAnalysis (Withdrawn
specimen area contributing to the detected signal in Auger
3
2012)
electron spectrometers and some types of X-ray photoelectron
E1016 Guide for Literature Describing Properties of Elec-
spectrometers (spectrometer analysis area) when this area is
trostatic Electron Spectrometers
defined by the electron collection lens and aperture system of
4
2.2 ISO Standards:
the electron energy analyzer. The practice is applicable only to
ISO 18115:2001 Surface Chemical Analysis—Vocabulary
those X-ray photoelectron spectrometers in which the speci-
ISO 18516:2006 Surface Chemical Analysis – Auger Elec-
men area excited by the incident X-ray beam is larger than the
tron Spectroscopy and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy
specimen area viewed by the analyzer, in which the photoelec-
– Determination of Lateral Resolution
trons travel in a field-free region from the specimen to the
analyzer entrance. Some of the methods described here require
3. Terminology
an auxiliary electron gun mounted to produce an electron beam
3.1 Definitions—See Terminology E673 and
of variable energy on the specimen (“electron-gun method”).
ISO 18115:2001 for terms used inAuger electron spectroscopy
Other experiments require a sample with a sharp edge, such as
and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.
a wafer covered with a uniform clean layer (for example, gold
(Au) or silver (Ag)) and cleaved to obtain a long side
4. Summary of Practice
(“sharp-edge method”).
4.1 Electron-Gun Method—An electron beam with a se-
lected energy is scanned across the surface of a test specimen.
1.2 This practice is recommended as a useful means for
The beam may be scanned once, that is, a line scan, or in a
determining the specimen area viewed by the analyzer for
pattern, that is, rastered. As the electron beam is deflected
different conditions of spectrometer operation, for verifying
across the specimen surface, measurements are made of the
adequate specimen and beam alignment, and for characterizing
intensities detected by the electron energy analyzer as a
the imaging properties of the electron energy analyzer.
function of the beam position for selected conditions of
1.3 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as analyzer operation. The measured intensities may be due to
standard. No other units of measurement are included in this electrons elastically scattered by the specimen surface, to
electrons inelastically scattered by the specimen, or to Auger
standard.
electrons emitted by the specimen. The intensity distributions
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the
for particular detected electron energy can be plotted as a
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
function of beam position in several ways and can be utilized
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
to obtain information on the specimen area contributing to the
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
detected signal and on analyzer performance for the particular
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
1
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E42 on Surface Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
Analysis and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E42.03 on Auger Electron the ASTM website.
3
Spectroscopy and X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy. The last approved version of this historical standard is referenced on
Current edition approved Nov. 1, 2011. Published December 2011. Originally www.astm.org.
4
approved in 1987. Last previous edition approved in 2005 as E1217 – 05. DOI: Available from American National Standards Institute (ANSI), 25 W. 43rd St.,
10.1520/E1217-11. 4th Floor, New York, NY 10036, http://www.ansi.org.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
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E1217 − 11
conditions of operation. This informati
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This document is not anASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of anASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation:E1217–05 Designation:E1217–11
Standard Practice for
Determination of the Specimen Area Contributing to the
Detected Signal in Auger Electron Spectrometers and Some
1
X-Ray Photoelectron Spectrometers
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E1217; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope
1.1This practice describes methods for determining the specimen area contributing to the detected signal in Auger electron
spectrometers and some types of X-ray photoelectron spectrometers when this area is defined by the electron collection lens and
aperture system of the electron energy analyzer. The practice is applicable only to those X-ray photoelectron spectrometers in
which the specimen area excited by the incident X-ray beam is larger than the specimen area viewed by the analyzer, in which
the photoelectrons travel in a field-free region from the specimen to the analyzer entrance, and in which an auxiliary electron gun
can be mounted to produce an electron beam of variable energy on the specimen.
1.1 This practice describes methods for determining the specimen area contributing to the detected signal in Auger electron
spectrometers and some types of X-ray photoelectron spectrometers (spectrometer analysis area) when this area is defined by the
electron collection lens and aperture system of the electron energy analyzer. The practice is applicable only to those X-ray
photoelectronspectrometersinwhichthespecimenareaexcitedbytheincidentX-raybeamislargerthanthespecimenareaviewed
by the analyzer, in which the photoelectrons travel in a field-free region from the specimen to the analyzer entrance. Some of the
methods described here require an auxiliary electron gun mounted to produce an electron beam of variable energy on the specimen
(“electron-gunmethod”).Otherexperimentsrequireasamplewithasharpedge,suchasawafercoveredwithauniformcleanlayer
(for example, gold (Au) or silver (Ag)) and cleaved to obtain a long side (“sharp-edge method”).
1.2 This practice is recommended as a useful means for determining the specimen area viewed by the analyzer for different
conditions of spectrometer operation, for verifying adequate specimen and beam alignment, and for characterizing the imaging
properties of the electron energy analyzer.
1.3
1.3 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory
limitations prior to use.
2. Referenced Documents
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
E673 Terminology Relating to Surface Analysis
E1016 Guide for Literature Describing Properties of Electrostatic Electron Spectrometers
3
2.2 ISO Standards:
ISO 18115:2001Surface Chemical Analysis—Vocabulary Surface Chemical Analysis—Vocabulary
ISO 18516:2006 Surface Chemical Analysis – Auger Electron Spectroscopy and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy –
Determination of Lateral Resolution
3. Terminology
3.1 Definitions—See Terminology E673 and ISO 18115:2001 for terms used in Auger electron spectroscopy and X-ray
photoelectron spectroscopy.
1
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E42 on Surface Analysis and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E42.03 on Auger Electron
Spectroscopy and X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy.
Current edition approved Nov. 1, 2005.2011. Published December 2005.2011. Originally approved in 1987. Last previous edition approved in 20002005 as E1217 – 005.
DOI: 10.1520/E1217-05.10.1520/E1217-11.
2
For referencedASTM standards, visit theASTM website, www.astm.org, or contactASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM Standards
volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on the ASTM website.
3
Available from American National Standards Institute (ANSI), 25 W. 43rd St., 4th Floor, New York, NY 10036, http://www.ansi.org.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
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E1217–11
4. Summary of Practice
4.1 Electron-Gun Metho
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