Inelastic background removal in x-ray excited photoelectron spectra from homogeneous and inhomogeneous solids

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Abstract
We investigate formulas for the deconvolution of inelastic background signal from measured electron spectra of both homogeneous and inhomogeneous solids. It is found that for noble metals ∼ (1)/(3) of the measured intensity 10–30 eV below a peak energy is intrinsic in origin. A new formula valid for the situation where electron emitters are located at a certain depth x0 underneath the sample surface is found. All formulas require a detailed knowledge of the differential inelastic electron scattering cross section K(E,T) for an electron of energy E to lose energy T. Attention is paid to recent progress in ways of determining K(E,T). In particular, it is found that for noble and transition metals K(E,T) is sufficiently similar, that it makes sense to approximate K(E,T) by a universal function. Then for this class of metals, as well as for inhomogeneous alloys within the class, a very simple and fast procedure for background removal in electron spectra can be defined. Finally, examples of the use of the deconvolution formulas are given and the limits of validity discussed.

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