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EnviroESCA Electron Spectroscopy

Announcement posted by John Morris Group 24 Feb 2016

For Chemical Analysis under Environmental Conditions

A new dimension in chemical surface analysis

Building on pioneering developments of recent years SPECS GmbH has proudly released EnviroESCA from John Morris Scientific. This novel and smart analysis tool overcomes the barriers of standard XPS systems by enabling analyses at pressures far above UHV. EnviroESCA is designed for high-throughput analysis and opens up new applications in the fields of medical technology, biotechnology and the life sciences. It offers the shortest loading-to-measurement time on samples of all types including liquids, tissue, plastics and foils, powders, soil, zeolites, rocks, minerals and ceramics.

Electron Spectroscopy for Chemical Analysis – Past to Present

In 1905 Albert Einstein received the Nobel Prize in Physics for his quantum mechanical interpretation of the photoelectric effect. Based on the results of Heinrich Hertz and Max Planck about the nature of light being an electromagnetic wave and about the general existence of discrete energy portions, nowadays named “quantum”, this has been a big step for basic science. At this time nobody knew, that this will evolve into the most important method for non-destructive surface chemical analysis. To reach this understanding the development of energy dispersive electron analysers had been necessary.

Thus it took several decades until Kai Siegbahn developed and experimentally realised the first experiment of this kind in the late 1960s, again resulting in a Nobel Prize in Physics. By excitation of electrons from solid samples using characteristic X-rays and detecting the number of photoelectrons in dependence of their kinetic energies it became possible to use the element-specific electron energies to derive the chemical composition of sample surfaces without destroying them. He named the method Electron Spectroscopy for Chemical Analysis, or in short ESCA.

The global success of X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) is a result of the development of methods for reliable and precise quantification of ESCA data with an elemental detection limit of <1% in the uppermost surface layers. Already in the early 1970s Kai Siegbahn realised, that the Ultra-High Vacuum (UHV) environment necessary in conventional ESCA machines is limiting the applications of this method to solid sample surfaces. So he suggested applying ESCA to liquids, using a differential pumping setup for the analyser and X-ray source. He was able to reach a maximum pressure of 10-2 mbar at that time.

Again it took almost three decades in experimental development to reach pressures of up to 1 mbar in synchrotron experiments. Near Ambient Pressure XPS (NAP-XPS) was born, yielding fundamental insight in the operation of catalysts and the analysis of liquids and liquid-solid interfaces. State-of-the-art instrumentation for NAP-XPS allows for purely laboratory-based NAP-XPS systems as the use of synchrotron radiation is not mandatory anymore. It is time for the next step in evolution.

EnviroESCAThe Beginning of a New EraEnviroESCA by SPECS GmbH

Environmental

  • Controllable atmosphere from sample loading to analysis
  • Adaptable process gas dosing systems
  • Specialised sample environments
  • Compatible with all kinds of samples and sizes up to Ø 60 mm and 40 mm in height

Integrated

  • Ergonomic all-in-one design
  • Quick installation and setup
  • Minimised downtime
  • Cost and time efficient servicing
  • Easy consumable replacement

Networking

  • SampleExplorer
  • SmartDock
  • AutoLoader
  • GloveBox

Reliable

  • SampleJournal for complete documentation
  • Reproducible analysis recipes
  • Comprehensive system parameter logging
  • Uptime focussed user support

Versatile

  • Revolutionary analyser technology
  • μ-Focus X-ray source
  • High resolution XPS
  • Automated charge compensation
  • Sputter depth profiling

Optimised

  • Application oriented software package
  • Fully remote operation
  • Automated vacuum system
  • Simple sample loading
  • Optical 3D sample navigation

Key Applications for EnviroESCA

XPS is established as a powerful and wide-ranging non-destructive analytical method. In particular, the precise and reproducible quantification of trace signals which it affords, has helped to answer important questions in fundamental and applied science. EnviroESCA enhances the significance of the results in many conventional applications and expands the technique’s horizons.

  • Liquids
  • Gaseous and Liquid Environments
  • Astrochemistry and Astrobiology
  • Biological Material
  • Soils and Minerals
  • Fabrics
  • Energy Material and Devices
  • Polymers and Plastics
  • Medical and Biomaterials
  • Catalysts
  • Coatings and Thin Films
  • Nanomaterials
  • Corrosion
  • Metals
  • Microelectronics and Semiconductors
  • Magnetic Media
To find out more about the EnviroESCA, please contact
Our team of Vacuum experts
 by
Email: vacuum@johnmorris.com.au
Free call AUS. 1800 251 799 and NZ  0800 651 700
NEW WEBSITE: www.johnmorrisgroup.com