Monochromator versus deconvolution for XPS studies using a kratos ES300 system

Deconvolution has been used by several workers to reduce or eliminate X-ray and analyzer-induced broadenings of XPS spectra, but there is a 30% limit on the amount of improvement in the FWHM of XPS peaks. Deconvolution algorithms generally used also increase the noise in the spectrum. Monochromatic X-ray sources can give high resolution data directly, but the count rates are generally low. Given these limitations, a comparison has been made to see which method of high resolution data acquisition. can achieve data of a certain quality in the least amount of time, for a given system, namely a Kratos ES300 photoelectron spectrometer. Signal-to-noise ratios are used as a means of comparing spectral quality at a given resolution. Results for the Kratos ES300 show that if the desired resolution could be achieved without deconvolution, an order of magnitude less counting time was needed for the Mg Kα standard source. If deconvolution is necessary, the counting times for both sources to achieve a given S/N ratio were found to depend mainly upon the signal-to-background ratios of the peak measured with each source. These results are illustrated for the S 2p doublet from MoS₂ and the Ni 2p peaks from oxidized stainless steel.