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Use of matrix corrections in the calculation of surface composition of AgPd alloys in auger electron spectroscopy
Author(s) -
Reniers F.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
surface and interface analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.52
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1096-9918
pISSN - 0142-2421
DOI - 10.1002/sia.740230606
Subject(s) - auger , auger electron spectroscopy , matrix (chemical analysis) , chemistry , analytical chemistry (journal) , auger effect , spectral line , monolayer , attenuation , atomic physics , optics , physics , nuclear physics , biochemistry , chromatography , astronomy
The surface segregation in binary alloys is often studied by Auger electron spectroscopy. However, the information obtained in the Auger spectra is representative of a region thicker than one monolayer. The Auger signal must be decomposed into the contributions of the different atomic layers. On the other hand, it is now well known that matrix correction factors must be used to relate the intensity of the Auger signal to the composition of the sample. As these two parameters are seldom put together in the treatment of Auger data, we tried to combine them for the study of the surface segregation in silver–palladium alloys. We calculated the matrix correction factors for AgPd alloys in the whole range of concentrations. The attenuation length corrections and the backscattering corrections were calculated on the basis of different models (Seah and Dench, Penn, Tanuma–Powell–Penn, Ichimura–Shimizu–Langeron, Reuter–Ichimura, etc.). The matrix corrections were compared to the Hall and Morabito approach and with previously published results. The matrix corrections were then introduced into a layer‐by‐layer model of interpretation of the Auger signal. While the surface composition calculated without matrix correction reveals silver enrichment relative to the bulk of the samples, the use of matrix corrections lead to an enrichment in silver that is strongly attenuated.