Electron and x-ray fluorescence yield measurements of the Cu L2,3-edge x-ray absorption fine structures: A comparative study

The Cu L2,3-edge x-ray absorption fine structures (XAFS) of a series of Cu samples have been recorded at the BL1A beamline of UVSOR using both electron yield and x-ray fluorescence yield techniques. XAFS measurements were simultaneously recorded in three modes: total electron yield (TEY) with specimen current, total electron yield with a channeltron electron multiplier and x-ray fluorescence yield (FLY) with an Ar/CH4 gas proportional counter. While both TEY measurements produce essentially identical spectra, a comparison between TEY and FLY results shows a drastic difference in the sensitivity of the techniques towards sampling depth. These results and their implications are discussed.