Auger electron spectroscopic investigations of chemical shifts in some vanadium compounds

Abstract

The Auger spectra of vanadium metal and of the compounds V2O4, V2O3, VO, VN, VC, V2S3, and VSi2 have been observed. Shifts in energy of the vanadium L3M2,3M2,3 inner-shell Auger transition peak as the result of chemical bonding effects have been measured. These shifts have been found to be related to the chemical bond ionicity as determined by the Philips-Van Vechten ionicity scale. The ratio of the anion to cation Auger peak intensities observed for the compounds can also be utilized in the determination of the surface composition.