Quantitative XPS: The calibration of spectrometer intensity—energy response functions. 2—Results of interlaboratory measurements for commercial instruments

An interlaboratory experiment to establish X‐ray photoelectron spectrometer intensity–energy response functions has been completed. The measurements made by fifteen participants give results for seven instrument models from four manufacturers. Two methods of determining the response function are tested: (i) by peak area measurement and (ii) using the background data from wide scan spectra from reference foils of Cu, Ag and Au. The peak area data show excellent reproducibility, and area ratios, when corrected for instrument response functions, are consistent to a standard deviation of 4% for Ag and Au between all instruments and conditions. The response functions relative to the VG Scientific ESCA 3 Mk II are proportional to E n where, in the constant Δ E mode, n = −;0.20±0.03 for the Leybold LHS10, −0.15±0.10 for the Perkin–Elmer PHI 550, 0.00±0.03 for the VG Scientific ESCA 3, and 0.20±0.02 for the VG Scientific ESCALAB I and II. The AEI/Kratos ES 200B/300 gives a complex, but defined, function. In the constant Δ E / E mode the latter instrument gives n in the range 1.3 to 2.0 and the VG Scientific ESCALAB II 1.79±0.05.