Effective attenuation length dependence on photoelectron kinetic energy for Au from 1 keV to 15 keV

Abstract

Hard X-ray PhotoElectron Spectroscopy (HAXPES) is an extremely powerful tool for the electronic, compositional, and chemical characterization of bulk materials and buried interfaces. Its success is based on the dramatic increase of the electron effective attenuation length (EAL) with increasing photoelectron kinetic energy. EALs are well established for electrons with kinetic energies up to several keV (below 3 keV). However, few data are available for kinetic energies up to 15 keV. In the present study we have determined the EAL dependency on kinetic energy for gold from 1 keV up to 15 keV. Two different approaches have been used. The first approach consists of following the signal rate from a core level for a fixed kinetic energy as a function of overlayer thickness (overlayer method). The second approach consists of following the signal rate from a core level as a function of the incident photon energy, i.e., electron kinetic energy, for a fixed overlayer thickness (depth profile method). An EAL dependency of EAL (nm) = 0.022 × E kin (eV) 0.627 has been obtained from both methods. Hence, the EAL, for gold, is 4.7, 7.3 and 9.4 nm for 5 keV, 10 keV and 15 keV electron kinetic energies, respectively. A comparison between the experimental data and the EALs predicted by practical expressions available in the literature is also performed.