XPS study of the state of oxygen on a chemically treated glass surface

The O 1s line of an ordinary, untreated glass surface and of a glass surface in its dealkalized state were studied by XPS. One single O 1s peak was detected on the dealkalized sample at a binding energy (BE) of 532.5 eV while on the alkali‐containing sample, and also on the dealkalized sample after alkali solution treatment, a second peak at 531.1 eV BE also could be detected. Experimental data were backed by semi‐empirical quantum chemical calculations. The observed low BE component of the O 1s line, according to the outlined experimental evidence, is connected with the presence of alkali ions. This clearly contradicts earlier publications, interpreting the O 1s line as originating from oxygen atoms in bridging and non‐bridging positions.