X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ESCA) has been employed to examine several elemental metal foils which were simultaneously allowed to develop natural passivation (oxidation) layers. The metals considered included representative transition metals and also several Group III and IV elements. Sputter etching was employed to establish approximate depth profiles. Highly reproducible results for the individual components made it possible to identify all of the major constituents. These results have yielded new information in the metallurgy and surface science of these systems. In order to properly study these systems, we have found it necessary to use an electron flood gun capable of removing the charge shifts from the passivation (insulator) layers. The study demonstrates the feasibility of ESCA as a tool for industrial metallurgical problems.
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Tery L. Barr (1977) studied this question.