The XPS library website: A resource for the XPS community including - The XPS library of information, XPS spectra-base having >70,000 monochromatic XPS spectra, and spectral data processor (SDP) v8.0 software

Surface chemical analysis by XPS is more than 60 years old. During the last 15 years ther-e has been an explosive growth in the publication of XPS peak-fits and interpretations. Unfortunately, these publications suffer from a variety of problems in reliability and usefulness because the new authors are not familiar enough with the science and application of XPS, chemical state assignments, and peak-fitting. Efforts to help new users include journal publications such as self-training guides for peak-fitting, international standards, collections of BEs, examples of peak-fitting, and more. These user guides are useful and are published in journals that are known to publish XPS information. The basics of XPS are taught at a few graduate level courses in universities and there are 3-5 day training courses at conferences, but the need is much greater. To help the international XPS community and the infrequent users of XPS to overcome these limitations, problems and needs, The XPS Library (TM) was formed as a non-profit institute to provide an on-line resource of XPS information, self-training material, free >70,000 monochromatic XPS reference spectra, free spectral data processing software, reference tables, links, examples of good and bad peak-fitting, and more. In 1986, this author began to build The XPS Spectra-Base (TM) by collecting and organizing detailed sets of self-consistent monochromatic XPS spectra from reference materials, natural crystals, man-made single crystals, and commercial products. The current number of individual spectra in digital form is >70,000 and the number of materials is >9,000. Each set of spectra (4-10) is stored inside individual data directories having the name of the material analyzed. Multiple data directories belonging to the same category are placed in a directory with the name of that category. Each category name is distinct and is based on the chemistry of the materials. Currently, XPS Library members must download individual sets of spectra or full directories that are stored in ZIP files. To view, peak-fit, export, analyze, overlay, process, or print the spectra provided by The XPS Spectra-Base the library member needs a software that can import or directly open spectra having: VAMAS-ISO 14,976 ASCII file format, other ASCII file formats (XY, XYZ), or the SDP binary file format. Most software from the instrument makers can import these types of spectra. The Spectral Data Processor (SDP (TM)) v8.0 is a 32-bit Windows (TM) (v7 10 compatible) software is provided free of charge to library members. Using SDP v8 the user can: (a) access and open the raw or processed spectra downloaded from The XPS Spectra-Base, (b) save all processing results and labels to permanent memory, (c) completely reprocess, peak-fit, analyze, overlay, process, or print the spectra, (d) export or save the raw or processed spectra in VAMAS-ISO ASCII and other ASCII file formats, and (e) import spectra having VAMAS-ISO 14,976 ASCII file format and other ASCII file formats (XY, XYZ). Several thousand High Energy Resolution Auger Electron Spectra (HER-AES) from insulators, conductors, and native oxides will be added. All spectra are owned, copyrighted, and are the property of The XPS Library and are protected by a registered international copyright (TX 4 560-881).

Automated summary

XPS surface chemical analysis has a history of over 60 years, and there has been a significant increase in the publication of XPS peak-fits and interpretations over the last 15 years. Unfortunately, some of these publications lack reliability and usefulness due to new authors not being familiar enough with XPS science and application. Efforts have been made to help new users with self-training guides and international standards.