Nanoelectron spectroscopy for chemical analysis:: a novel energy filter for imaging x-ray photoemission spectroscopy

A novel instrument for imaging ESCA is described. It is based on a tandem arrangement of two hemispherical energy analysers used as an imaging energy filter. The main spherical aberration (α(2)-term) of the analyser is corrected by the antisymmetry of the tandem configuration. The kinetic energy range useable for imaging extends up to 1.6 keV; this is compatible with Mg and Al Kα laboratory x-ray sources. First experiments on the chemical surface composition of a Cu0.98Bi0.02 polycrystal, a GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructure and Ag crystallites on Si(111) have been performed using synchrotron radiation. The results reveal an energy resolution of 190 meV and a lateral resolution (edge resolution) of 120 nm. Besides elimination of the analyser's spherical aberration, the tandem arrangement largely retains the time structure of the electron signal, unlike a single hemispherical analyser.