Photoelectron spectroscopy

The energy spectra of photoejected electrons provides a direct method for determining the electronic binding energies in atoms, molecules and solids. The binding energies may be used to identify a particular atom in a molecule or solid and, as well, to indicate from which orbital the electrons were removed. The relative intensities of peaks in the photoelectron spectrum reveal the nature of the chemical bond in a molecule and are a measure of the relative transition probabilities for ionization to a particular state. The effects of autoionization and angular distribution are discussed, and some applications are given.