Resolution enhancement of x‐ray photoelectron spectra by maximum entropy deconvolution

The maximum entropy method (MEM) is applied to the deconvolution of x-ray photoelectron spectra. This method provides the least-biased estimate of the unbroadened spectrum by using the Shannon information content as the regularizing functional. The large-scale, non-linear optimization problem is solved using a robust variable metric sequential-quadratic programming (SQP) algorithm implemented on a personal computer (PC). The program is tested on simulated spectra and then shown to provide reliable resolution enhancement of measured spectra by unfolding a measured instrumental resolution function. Typical resolution enhancements of 50% are achievable in <15 min of computer time.