Zone-plate-based scanning photoelectron microscopy at SRRC: Performance and applications

Adapting classical spectroscopic methods to the new challenge of studying nanomaterials, imaging techniques are the trendsetter in recent years. Among them is scanning photoelectron microscopy (SPEM) with submicron spatial resolution, where the sample surface is raster-scanned by a focused soft X-ray beam, and the emitted photoelectrons are collected at each point by the input optics of an electron energy analyzer. We have constructed such a station at SRRC in Taiwan, which is now fully in operation. In this paper, we introduce the specific features of the instrument and discuss application examples on the characterization of scanning-probe-induced Si(3)N(4) to SiO(x) conversion and electron- and plasma-induced chemical changes in alkanethiols self-assembled monolayers. In combining two-dimensional imaging and micro-photoemission, SPEM can reveal valuable information on the chemical and electronic properties of structured and multiphase materials.