On the XPS peak shape analysis

Abstract Inelastic background or the peak shape parameter is defined as the ratio of the area under the primary photoelectron peak to the height of the accompanying inelastic loss background measured at 30 eV below the peak energy. This parameter has been experimentally determined for homogeneous polycrystalline samples of Au, Ag and Cu. Inhomogeneous specimens prepared by depositing graphite overlayers on Au films are also investigated. The effect of the choice of background level on this parameter is determined. A simple experimental test is proposed to determine the validity of the existing first-order analytic expressions for this parameter. Angle-resolved studies are performed to explore the possibility of contribution arising out of surface excitations.