Auger Electron Spectroscopy Investigations of the Surface Chemical Composition of Vanadium, the Vanadium Oxides, and Oxidized Vanadium: Chemical Shift and Peak Intensity Analysis

Abstract

The Auger spectra of vanadium metal and of the oxides VO0.92, V2O3, and VO2 have been studied. Chemical shifts on the order of 0.6 eV per oxidation number have been observed for the vanadium inner shell Auger transitions. Relative intensities of the oxygen and vanadium Auger peaks could be used to determine the surface composition of the different oxides. Using both the chemical shifts and the oxygen to vanadium Auger peak intensity ratios for the different vanadium oxides, the oxidation of vanadium metal to VO and then to V3O5 with increasing temperature was observed.