Photoelectron spectroscopy

COR-208, Unit-5
Suggested problems / questions

1. What are the basic differences between UV-Vis and photoelectron spectroscopy?
2. While basic spectrophotometric techniques appeared since ~1850, photoelectron
spectroscopy was developed nearly a century later. What caused this delay?
3. What are XPS and UPS? How are they different?
4. What are core binding energy shifts in XPS? What information do they provide?
5. On what factors do core binding energy shifts depend? Write relevant equations,
explaining all terms.
6. From a list of compounds provided – e.g. alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, acyl and aryl
halides, aldehydes, alcohols, carboxylic acids, esters, metal complexes, heterocyclic
compounds etc. – try to predict order of core binding energy shifts (e.g. in C1s, N1s,
O1s etc.) in them in increasing / decreasing order.
7. Why is the background noise in XPS/ UPS different towards low and high KE of
photoelectrons (or binding energy values)?
8. Write down all the electron spectroscopic methods and identify methods involving
one-electron and multi-electron effects.
9. How are Auger electrons characterized?
10. For a KLL’ Auger transition, express KE of the Auger electron in terms of all relevant
parameters.
11. Assume a hydrogenic atom with nuclear charge Z. A KLM transition occurs. Express
energy of the Auger electron in eV.
12. Draw a schematic hemispherical detector with appropriate number of grids. Identify
position of ionizing beam, sample etc. How can the same set-up be used for XPS,
LEED and Auger spectroscopy?
13. What is LEED? What are its applications?
14. What are EELS and HREELS? What information do they provide?
15. What is the role of bulk and surface plasmons in various electron spectroscopic
methods?
16. Write expressions for bulk and surface plasmon frequencies, explaining all terms.
17. What is ZEKE spectroscopy?
18. Draw a schematic diagram of ZEKE spectroscopic apparatus and explain how zero (or
nearly zero) KE electrons are obtained.
19. What are the typical resolutions in the following electron spectroscopies: XPS, UPS,
AES, LEED, EELS, HREELS and ZEKE?
20. Advent of SEM and TEM may have reduced the use of some electron spectroscopic
methods, but not all of them. Comment briefly.