Application of in situ surface scraping for extracting bulk component of XPS signal -: example of LiNbO3 and GaSb

Experimental evidence concerning an influence of the in situ scraping prc,cess on the XPS core-level spectra of LiNbO3 and GaSb is reported. It proved high efficiency of this surface preparation method for extracting a bulk component of the XPS signal acquired from a crystal. In particular, two specific advantages of in situ scraping over a surface cleaning by Ar+ ion bombardment have been underlined. Firstly, complete removal of surface adsorbed species (carbon and oxygen) and of the surface oxides. Secondly, despite mechanical damage of the crystal surface, the in situ scraping does not introduce surface defects that could influence the bulk XPS core-level spectra of the compounds studied (especially LiNbO3). The bulk XPS data for GaSb, reported hen, remain the first reference ones obtained with the use of this preparation method. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.