Small-Spot X-Ray Emission Spectroscopy and its Application for Study of Electronic Structure and Chemical Bonding in Solids

Abstract

A description is given of an x-ray emission spectrometer with high spatial (4 μm) and energy resolution (0.3-1.2 eV) and of its application to the study of electronic structure of transition metal mono- and disilicides, carbon coatings, vanadium boride and silicon/silicon nitride systems. A comparison is made with other similar spectrometers, and the advantages of the method used are emphasized as being quite accurate, easy in interpretation and not destroying the samples, when studying electronic structure as a function of depth. For silicides, a comparison is made with results of band structure calculation of electronic structure.