adventitious carbon referencing

https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.09305

In X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, measurement of the charging potential of a particular sample from a comparison of the experimentally measured C 1s binding energy, arising from adsorbed hydrocarbons on the sample, with a standard binding energy value.

Notes:
  1. A nominal value of 285.0 eV is often used for the binding energy of the relevant C 1s peak, although some analysts prefer specific values in the range 284.6 eV to 285.2 eV, depending on the nature of the substrate. This method does not determine the true charging potential, since the true binding energy of the adsorbed hydrocarbons is not known.
  2. Different sample charging potentials can occur on different areas on the surface, or at different depths, arising, for example, from sample inhomogeneities or non-uniform intensity of the incident-radiation flux.
See also: Fermi level referencing
Source:
PAC, 2020, 92, 1781. (Glossary of methods and terms used in surface chemical analysis (IUPAC Recommendations 2020)) on page 1819 [Terms] [Paper]
Citation: 'adventitious carbon referencing' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.09305 RIS BibTex EndNote
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