AES is a laboratory/auxiliary method. It is based on the determination of binding energy of electrons emitted by the samples in the Auger process (the process of atomic de-excitation without photon emission). It allows for the determination of samples’ composition, as well as chemical environments of the different types of atoms, and can be used to confirm the purity of the samples. It is possible to image the samples with chemical resolution, with the spatial resolution of a few tens of nanometers.

The technique is surface – sensitive and the signal is collected form a few atomic layers.

AES method can be used in the following industries:

• electronics (confirmation of the purity of semiconductor/metal surfaces)
• surface engineering (thin films, changes of the composition of various surfaces due to the temperature or the presence of adatoms)
• metallurgy (composition of metal surfaces, corrosion processes).

AES method is available on the following experimental stations:

• URANOS
• PHELIX
• PIRX
• DEMETER.

Only UHV-compatible solids can be studied at the experimental stations.