Angular instrument response for photoelectron diffraction using focused, plane-polarized synchrotron beams

Abstract The non-diffractive instrument response function for photoelectron diffraction is summarized for various data collection modes and experimental geometries. Plane-polarization and small focused spots from synchrotron X-ray sources produce very different angular response functions compared to those using standard laboratory flood sources and should be considered in optimizing the experimental design. In the case of sample-scanned photoelectron diffraction, use of a polar rotation axis of the sample in the horizontal plane of the synchrotron beam and the photoelectron detector is shown to have several advantages over the more standard vertical polar axis.