The electron spectra of beryllium and beryllium oxide: an XPS, X‐AES and AES study

As‐received beryllium and beryllium oxide were analysed by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Auger electron spectroscopy. Additionally, beryllium metal was scribed in vacuum and analysed by AES. Survey spectra together with high‐resolution spectra were acquired in XPS and AES mode and are presented here. The binding energies of the beryllium and the beryllium oxide Be 1s peaks were found to be 110.5 and 113.4 eV respectively, as collected by XPS, and the kinetic energies of the primary metal and oxide KLL Auger transitions were found to be 103.0 and 93.6 eV respectively, as collected by AES. Three loss peaks are also observed at 87.1, 78.0 and 67.2 eV in the AES spectrum of beryllium oxide.