Experimental calibration curve for quantitative XPS analysis constructed from in situ fractured polycrystalline manganese silicide surfaces

Abstract

In the present study, we prepared clean surfaces of polycrystalline Mn 3 Si, MnSi, and Mn 11 Si 19 by fracturing them in a spectrometer under an ultrahigh vacuum, and then attempted to construct a calibration curve for a quantitative XPS analysis by measuring these clean surfaces. We ensured that there were no C 1s and O 1s peaks in the survey XPS spectra for the fractured surfaces. In the case of Mn 11 Si 19 , a positive chemical shift in the binding energy of the Mn 2p level was observed, whereas a slight negative shift in the binding energy of the Si 2p level was observed in the cases of MnSi and Mn 3 Si. The spectral intensity ratios of Mn 3p to Si 2p and Mn 3s to Si 2p were proportional to the atomic ratio of Mn to Si, indicating that these relationships could be used as the calibration curve. On the other hand, no linear relationship was observed for the ratio of Mn 2p to Si 2p.

Amorphous Si layers co-doped with B and Mn: Thin film growth and steering of magnetic properties

“…This conclusion is consistent with a more localized character of the Mn 3d electron in the present samples with respect to metallic Mn. A similar behavior has been reported in literature for a set of Mn silicides [38], where the Mn 2p XPS peak was observed to shrink with the decrease of Mn content in the film. Furthermore, the SBM and SM samples display a higher BE (638.9 eV) of the Mn 2p core line with respect to metallic Mn (BE = 638.6 eV).…”

“…Furthermore, the SBM and SM samples display a higher BE (638.9 eV) of the Mn 2p core line with respect to metallic Mn (BE = 638.6 eV). It is worth observing that a 0.3 eV shift towards higher BEs was also detected for crystalline Mn 11 Si 19 silicide with respect to metallic Mn [38], suggesting that the present SM and SBM samples behave, on the local scale of the cluster of Si atoms surrounding the Mn impurity, as Mn silicides.…”

Evolution of thin protecting Si-layer on Mn0.5Si0.5 layer at low temperatures

“…According to the peak position of 103 eV, the oxidized Si is attributed to be SiO 2 . For the sample annealed at 300℃, the peak at 99 eV for the as-grown sample shifted to 98 eV, suggesting the formation of manganese silicide MnSi, since the binding energy of Si 2p in the manganese silicide MnSi is slightly smaller than that of Si 2p in elemental Si [17][18][19]. The formation of manganese silicide MnSi was confirmed by TEM observation results, which will be shown later.…”

XPS spectra of chromium monosilicides and disilicides obtained by in situ fractured clean surfaces

“…The specimens with the holder were placed in a spectrometer from Surface Science Instruments (SSX-100) equipped with a monochromatic Al Kα X-ray probe and a hammer. 16 The spectrometer was evacuated up to a pressure of less than 1 × 10 −7 Pa, after which the specimen's bar was mechanically fractured at room temperature using the hammer. Immediately after fracturing, the spectral data were collected in situ using a concentric hemisphere analyzer with a multichannel plate detector.…”

“…The Cr silicides and metallic Cr (Nilaco Co., Japan) were cut into a bar with a size of approximately 1 × 1 × 20 mm 3 , which was then affixed to a hand‐made copper holder using a vacuum‐compatible conductive epoxy resin. The specimens with the holder were placed in a spectrometer from Surface Science Instruments (SSX‐100) equipped with a monochromatic Al Kα X‐ray probe and a hammer 16 . The spectrometer was evacuated up to a pressure of less than 1 × 10 −7 Pa, after which the specimen's bar was mechanically fractured at room temperature using the hammer.…”