Ultraviolet

Photoelectron
Spectroscopy
(UPS)
M IT CH E L L G RIG GS
 Helium Gas Lamp
• Electric current excites ionised
helium gas
.

• Light released by decay of atoms

to ground state

• Process is probabilistic, red lines

show 98% likelihood

D. Halliday et al., Fundamentals of Physics, (Wiley, Hoboken, 2013)

L. Scudiero, “Ultraviolet Photoelectron Spectroscopy (UPS)-1”, n.d., available at: https://public.wsu.edu/~pchemlab/documents/571-UPS-Lecture1.pdf
 The Photoelectric Effect
• Photon energy quantised by 𝐸 = ℎ𝜈

• Energy required to remove least bound

electron given by work function 𝜙𝑤

• Photoelectrons are ejected via

photoelectric effect:
.

𝐵𝐸 = ℎ𝑣 − 𝐾𝐸 − 𝜙𝑤

D. Halliday et al., Fundamentals of Physics, (Wiley, Hoboken, 2013).

Atomstalk, “The Photoelectric Effect”, 2020, available at: https://atomstalk.com/blogs/photoelectric-effect/
 The Electron Energy Analyzer
• Kinetic energy selected for using
magnetic fields
UV-Ray Source
• Kinetic energy proportional to binding
energy by:

𝐵𝐸 = ℎ𝑣 − 𝐾𝐸 − 𝜙𝑤

• Binding energies unique to each atom

D. Briggs and J. T. Grant, Surf. Interface Anal. 36, 1647 (2004), available at: https://analyticalsciencejournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/sia.2005
H. Senama et al., Dev. Clay Sci. 1, 865 (2006), available at: https://www.elsevier.com/books/handbook-of-clay-science/bergaya/978-0-08-044183-2
 The Spectrum
• Plot binding energy against electron .
. intensity
.

Intensity (arb.)
• Peaks show binding energy of electrons

• Ultraviolet photon energy is relatively . . .

. low, only valence electrons emitted

• Continuum due to scattered electrons

K. Ozawa, Compendium of Surface and Interface Analysis: Ultraviolet Photoelectron Spectroscopy, (The Surface Science Society of Japan, Tokyo, 2018).
“UV Photoelectron Spectroscopy”, n.d., available at: https://xpssimplified.com/UPS.php
 The Research Problem
• Alternative energy sources for
environmental sustainability

• Methylammonium lead iodide/copper

phthalocyanine (CuPc) interfaces may
be used in solar cells

• Understanding electronic structure is

.critical

R. F. Service, “To amp up solar cells, scientists ditch silicon”, 2019, available at: https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/04/amp-solar-cells-scientists-ditch-silicon
S. Chen et al., APL Materials. 2, 081512 (2014) available at: https://aip.scitation.org/doi/10.1063/1.4889844
 Use of UPS
• A range of CuPc thicknesses were
measured

• Valence band maximum and work

function:

• Measured by linear extrapolation

• Decrease with increase in thickness

S. Chen et al., APL Materials. 2, 081512 (2014) available at: https://aip.scitation.org/doi/10.1063/1.4889844

 Use of UPS
• A range of CuPc thicknesses were
measured

• Valence band maximum and work

function:

• Measured by linear extrapolation

• Decrease with increase in thickness

S. Chen et al., APL Materials. 2, 081512 (2014) available at: https://aip.scitation.org/doi/10.1063/1.4889844

 The Results
• Small re-orientation of CuPc molecules
at different film thickness

• n-type doping was prevalent, allowing for

conduction of electrons

• This shows promise as a solar cell

technology!

D. Halliday et al., Fundamentals of Physics, (Wiley, Hoboken, 2013)

S. Chen et al., APL Materials. 2, 081512 (2014) available at: https://aip.scitation.org/doi/10.1063/1.4889844
The Research Problem
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/UPS-study-to-determine-the-a-work-function-and-b-valence-band-edges-of-Si100_fig3_328927186