Testing Inorganic and Organic Materials With a New Ion Source

The utility of cluster ion beams for x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis is just beginning to be explored, making a range of materials accessible that previously could not be analyzed. When combined with a monatomic source, these cluster ion beams will become an essential tool for any materials analysis laboratory. A new monatomic and gas cluster ion source for XPS instruments uses argon gas cluster sputtering to clean surfaces and create depth profiles for a growing class of advanced materials that include both hardened inorganic and softer organic materials.