X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)

The x-ray photoelectron spectrometer is located at the laboratory of Solid State Physics of the Physics Department of the University of Torino. The laboratory, and the instrument in particular, is part of a network of research structures coordinated by the "Nanostructured Surfaces and Interfaces" (NIS) interdepartmental research center.
The main components of the XPS system include
  • A twin anode (Mg and Al) and a monochromatic (Al) x-ray sources;
  • An ultra-high vacuum (UHV) stainless steel chamber with UHV pumps;
  • Two sample introduction chambers with cleaning systems based on moderate annealing (150°C) and surface sputtering;
  • An electron energy analyzer (Concentric Hemispherical Analyzer - CHA);
  • An electron detector system (with a channeltron electron multiplier);
  • A readout system connected to a pc with a PSP SPECTRA v8 software;
Spectral analysis is performed with UNIFIT20008 software.
Table 1 summarizes the main features of the system.

The XPS system is used for surface analysis within the activities [1] cordinated by the NIS research center.
In particular, it has extensively been used to characterize functionalized diamond surfaces [2] and within the "Nanostructured Antibacterial Layers (NABLA) project for the characterization of silver nanocluster doped silica thin films with antibacterial functionality[3,4].

  1. C.Gionco, A.Battiato, E.Vittone, M.C.Paganini, E. Giamello,"Structural and spectroscopic properties of high temperature prepared ZrO2-TiO2 mixed oxides" Journal of SolidState Chemistry 201(2013)222-228
  2. S. Torrengo, L. Minati, M. Filippi, A. Miotello, M. Ferrari, A. Chiasera, E. Vittone, A. Pasquarelli, M. Dipalo, E. Kohn, G. Speranza, "XPS and UPS investigation of the diamond surface oxidation by UV irradiation", Diamond & Related Materials 18(5-8) (2009) 804-807
  3. C. Balagna, S. Perero, S. Ferraris, M. Miola, G. Fucale, C. Manfredotti, A. Battiato, D. Santella, E. Vernč, E. Vittone, M. Ferraris, "Antibacterial coating on polymer for space application", Materials Chemistry and Physics 135 (2012) 714-722
  4. M. Ferraris, S. Ferraris, M. Miola, S. Perero, C. Balagna, E. Verne, G. Gautier, Ch. Manfredotti, A. Battiato, E. Vittone, G. Speranza, I. Bogdanovic, "Effect of thermal treatments on sputtered silver nanocluster/ silica composite coatings on soda-lime glasses: ionic exchange and antibacterial activity", Journ. Nanoparticle Research 14 1287-1306 (2012).