Abstract :
The usual procedure for quantification by electron spectroscopy that is based on measured peak intensities is shown to be highly unreliable. It is pointed out that the peak shape in a wide energy range, on the low kinetic energy side of the peak, varies considerably with the surface morphology on the nano-meter depth scale. This observation has in recent years been applied in the formulation of a new method for quantification that is based on quantitative analysis of measured peak shapes. The technique is sensitive on the ∼1–10 nm depth scale and it is non-destructive. Some aspects of the physical basis of this technique are discussed and examples are given where the method has been applied in practice.
