Calibration Metals

Gold, Silver and Copper metals (Au, Ag, and Cu) are normally used to check the calibration (reference) energies of an XPS instrument.

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To use any of these metals to check the calibration energies, they must first be ion etched clean while the metal pieces are inside the analysis chamber.  The presence of excessive amounts of Oxygen or Carbon contamination can have a measurable effect on the BE values.

The BEs of the freshly ion etched metals should be peak-fit to obtain the most accurate BE value for that peak.