A kinetic method for correcting the X-ray photoelectron spectra of radiation-sensitive compounds

A new method is proposed for determining the initial XPS spectra of compounds which are sensitive to X-ray irradiation, based on the first-order kinetics of the sample decomposition. The method simultaneously gives a value for the rate constant of the radiation-induced decomposition, which may itself be characteristic of the compound. The method is verified for the compounds cupric bis(8-quinolenethiol) and bis(dimethyl-glyoxime)triphenylphosphinecobalt(III) chloride, and a simple criterion for its use is given.