Tmo Tm Native Oxide Tm2O3 Tm2(SO4)3 TmF3          Basic

XPS Spectra
Thulium (Tm) Compounds
The XPS Spectra section provides raw and processed survey spectra, chemical state spectra, BE values, FWHM values, and overlays of key spectra.
Atom% values from surveys are based on sample, as received, and Scofield cross-sections. Atom% values are corrected for IMFP and PE.
Peak-fits are guides for practical, real-world applications. Peak-fits are not fully optimized or designed to test any theory.

Thulium native oxide  (TmOx)
Survey, Peak-fits, BEs, FWHMs, and Peak Labels


 Periodic Table   → Six (6) BE Tables
Survey Spectrum from TmOx
Freshly exposed bulk, Flood gun is OFF, Ag (3d5/2) FWHM = 1.3 eV

 Periodic Table  → Six (6) BE Tables
Tm (4d) Spectrum from TmOx Raw
Fresh exposed bulk, Flood gun is OFF, sample is conductive,
Ag FWHM = 0.75 eV
Tm (4d) Spectrum from TmOx Peak-Fit
Freshly exposed bulk, Flood gun is OFF, sample is conductive, Ag FWHM = 0.75 eV


 Periodic Table   → Six (6) BE Tables
Tm (4d) Spectrum from TmOx Extended
Fresh exposed bulk, Flood gun is OFF, sample is conductive, Ag FWHM = 0.75 eV
Tm (4d) Spectrum from TmOx – Expanded
Freshly exposed bulk, Flood gun is OFF, sample is conductive, Ag FWHM = 0.75 eV

 

 

 

 

 

 

na


 Periodic Table  → Six (6) BE Tables
O (1s) Spectrum from TmOx Raw
Freshly exposed bulk, Flood gun is OFF, sample is conductive, Ag FWHM = 0.75 eV
O (1s) Spectrum from TmOx Peak-Fit
Freshly exposed bulk, Flood gun is OFF, sample is conductive, Ag FWHM = 0.75 eV
 


 Periodic Table  → Six (6) BE Tables
C (1s) Spectrum from TmOx Raw
Freshly exposed bulk, Flood gun is OFF, sample is conductive, Ag FWHM = 0.75 eV
C (1s) Spectrum from TmOx Peak-Fit
Freshly exposed bulk, Flood gun is OFF, sample is conductive, Ag FWHM = 0.75 eV
 

Overlays
 Periodic Table  → Six (6) BE Tables
Valence Band Spectra from TmOx & Tmxx  
Freshly exposed bulk, Flood gun is OFF, sample is conductive, Ag FWHM = 1.0 eV
Tm (4d) Spectra from TmOx & Tmo   
Freshly exposed bulk, Flood gun is OFF, sample is conductive, Ag FWHM = 1.0 eV
 na


End of Spectra
Price to purchase raw data sets:
Raw spectra – VAMAS ASCII format ($6)
Raw spectra – SDP binary format ($5)
SDP v9 – $145 (3 yr license)



Transmission Function Tests


December 2015 – Transmission Function of Thermo K-Alpha Plus
 Periodic Table 
Survey Spectra of Ion Etched Copper (Cu), PEs = 50, 100, 150 and 200 eV

 Periodic Table 
March 2016 – Transmission Function of Thermo K-Alpha Plus 
 
Survey Spectra of Ion Etched Copper (Cu), PEs = 100, 150 and 200 eV

 Periodic Table  
August 2019 – Transmission Function of Thermo K-Alpha Plus
 
Survey Spectra of HOPG (C), PEs = 20, 50, 100 and 200 eV

 Periodic Table  
January 2022 – Transmission Function of Thermo K-Alpha Plus
 
Survey Spectra of Ion Etched Copper (Cu), PEs = 100, 120, 140, 160, 180 and 200 eV
 


End-of-Transmission-Function-Tests



 

Six (6) Chemical State Tables of Ho (4d5/2) BEs

 

  • The XPS Library Spectra-Base
  • PHI Handbook
  • Thermo-Scientific Website
  • XPSfitting Website
  • Techdb Website
  • NIST Website

 Periodic Table 



 

Notes of Caution when using Published BEs and BE Tables from Insulators and Conductors:

  • Accuracy of Published BEs
    • The accuracy depends on the calibration BEs used to calibrate the energy scale of the instrument.  Cu (2p3/2) BE can vary from 932.2 to 932.8 eV for old publications 
    • Different authors use different BEs for the C (1s) BE of the hydrocarbons found in adventitious carbon that appears on all materials and samples.  From 284.2 to 285.3 eV
    • The accuracy depends on when the authors last checked or adjusted their energy scale to produce the expected calibration BEs
  • Worldwide Differences in Energy Scale Calibrations
    • For various reasons authors still use older energy scale calibrations 
    • Some authors still adjust their energy scale so Cu (2p3/2) appears at 932.2 eV or 932.8 eV because this is what the maker taught them
    • This range causes BEs in the higher BE end to be larger than expected 
    • This variation increases significantly above 600 eV BE
  • Charge Compensation
    • Samples that behave as true insulators normally require the use of a charge neutralizer (electron flood gun with or without Ar+ ions) so that the measured chemical state spectra can be produced without peak-shape distortions or sloping tails on the low BE side of the peak envelop. 
    • Floating all samples (conductive, semi-conductive, and non-conductive) and always using the electron flood gun is considered to produce more reliable BEs and is recommended.
  • Charge Referencing Methods for Insulators
    • Charge referencing is a common method, but it can produce results that are less reliable.
    • When an electron flood gun is used, the BE scale will usually shift to lower BE values by 0.01 to 5.0 eV depending on your voltage setting. Normally, to correct for this flood gun induced shift, the BE of the hydrocarbon C (1s) peak maximum from adventitious carbon is used to correct for the charge induced shift.
    • The hydrocarbon peak is normally the largest peak at the lowest BE. 
    • Depending on your preference or training, the C (1s) BE assigned to this hydrocarbon peak varies from 284.8 to 285.0 eV.  Other BEs can be as low as 284.2 eV or as high as 285.3 eV
    • Native oxides that still show the pure metal can suffer differential charging that causes the C (1s) and the O (1s) and the Metal Oxide BE to be larger
    • When using the electron flood gun, the instrument operator should adjust the voltage and the XY position of the electron flood gun to produce peaks from a strong XPS signal (eg O (1s) or C (1s) having the most narrow FWHM and the lowest experimentally measured BE. 

 Periodic Table 


Table #1

Ho (4d5/2) Chemical State BEs from:  “The XPS Library Spectra-Base”

C (1s) BE = 285.0 eV for TXL BEs
and C (1s) BE = 284.8 eV for NIST BEs

Element Atomic # Compound As-Measured by TXL or NIST Average BE Largest BE Hydrocarbon C (1s) BE  Source
Ho 67 Ho – element 159.8 eV   285.0 eV The XPS Library
Ho 67 Ho-(OH)3      285.0 eV The XPS Library
Ho 67 Ho-2O3 161.7 eV Tallest peak  285.0 eV The XPS Library
Ho 67 Ho-acetate      285.0 eV The XPS Library
Ho 67 Ho-2(CO3)3-H2O      285.0 eV The XPS Library
Ho 67 Ho-2(SO4)3 162.8 eV  (or 164.3 eV) Tallest peaks  285.0 eV The XPS Library

Charge Referencing Notes

  • (N*number) identifies the number of NIST BEs that were averaged to produce the BE in the middle column.
  • The XPS Library uses Binding Energy Scale Calibration with Cu (2p3/2) BE = 932.62 eV and Au (4f7/2) BE = 83.98 eV.  BE (eV) Uncertainty Range:  +/- 0.2 eV
  • Charge Referencing of insulators is defined such that the Adventitious Hydrocarbon C (1s) BE (eV) = 285.0 eV.  NIST uses C (1s) BE = 284.8 eV 
  • Note:   Ion etching removes adventitious carbon, implants Ar (+), changes conductivity of surface, and degrades chemistry of various chemical states.
  • Note:  Ion Etching changes BE of C (1s) hydrocarbon peak.
  • TXL – abbreviation for: “The XPS Library” (https://xpslibrary.com).  NIST:  National Institute for Science and Technology (in USA)

 Periodic Table 


Table #2

Ho (4d5/2) Chemical State BEs from:  “PHI Handbook”

C (1s) BE = 284.8 eV

 Periodic Table 

Copyright ©:  Ulvac-PHI


Table #3

Ho (4d5/2) Chemical State BEs from:  “Thermo-Scientific” Website

C (1s) BE = 284.8 eV

 

BE Table Not Available

 Periodic Table 

Copyright ©:  Thermo Scientific 


Table #4

Ho (4d5/2) Chemical State BEs from:  “XPSfitting” Website

Chemical State BE Table derived by Averaging BEs in the NIST XPS database of BEs
C (1s) BE = 284.8 eV

 

BE Table for Rare Earths Not Available

 Periodic Table 

Copyright ©:  Mark Beisinger


Table #5

Ho (4d5/2) Chemical State BEs from:  “Techdb.podzone.net” Website

 

XPS Spectra – Chemical Shift | Binding Energy
C (1s) BE = 284.6 eV

XPS(X線光電子分光法)スペクトル 化学状態 化学シフト ケミカルシフト

Element Level Compound B.E.(eV) min   max
Ho 4d Ho 159.5 ±0.3 159.2 159.8

 

 Periodic Table 



 


Histograms of NIST BEs for Ho (4d
5/2) BEs

Important Note:  NIST Database defines Adventitious Hydrocarbon C (1s) BE = 284.8 eV for all insulators.

Histogram indicates:  160.2 eV for Hoo based on 2 literature BEs  

 

Table #6


NIST Database of Ho (4d5/2) Binding
Energies

NIST Standard Reference Database 20, Version 4.1

Data compiled and evaluated
by
Alexander V. Naumkin, Anna Kraut-Vass, Stephen W. Gaarenstroom, and Cedric J. Powell
©2012 copyright by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce on behalf of the United States of America. All rights reserved.

Important Note:  NIST Database defines Adventitious Hydrocarbon C (1s) BE = 284.8 eV for all insulators.

Element Spectral Line Formula Energy (eV) Reference
Ho 4d5/2 HoCrO3 156.30  Click
Ho 4d Ho 159.00  Click
Ho 4d Ho 159.56  Click
Ho 4d5/2 Ho2O3 161.20  Click
Ho 4d5/2 Ho2O3 161.20  Click
Ho 4d Ho 161.30  Click
Ho 4d5/2 Ho2(SO4)3 161.30  Click
Ho 4d Ho2(bphsb)5(phen)2(ClO4)6 162.20  Click
Ho 4d HoI3 162.30  Click
Ho 4d [Ho(C4H3O-CH=NC6H4N=CHC6H4O)2]ClO4 162.40  Click
Ho 4d HoBr3 162.70  Click
Ho 4d HoF3 163.30  Click
Ho 4d HoCl3 163.30  Click
Ho 4d5/2 Ho2(C2O4)3 163.30  Click

 

 

Statistical Analysis of Binding Energies in NIST XPS Database of BEs

 

 

 Periodic Table