Specific Process Knowledge/Characterization/XPS/Processing

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Installation of XPS software

You will need some kind of dedicated software to analyze and interpret the XPS spectra. The internet has many such software packages among which are:

  • Avantage: A software platform developed by Thermofisher for acquisition and processing of XPS spectra on their tools. Since both the XPS K-Alpha and the XPS Nexsa have been manufactured by Thermofisher, Avantage is the native software used on these instruments and no data export or conversion will be necessary. DTU has an academic license that covers all DTU projects for which Avantage can be freely downloaded and licensed, see below. For other academia and commercial users another solution has been established, see also below.
  • CasaXPS: A commercial XPS data analysis platform that is much more sophiscated compared to Avantage. DTU has an academic license: CasaXPS can be downloaded at http://www.casaxps.com/ or by using the links below.

Due to the licensing of the software packages, your access to them will depend on whether you are a DTU employee/student (with a valid *@dtu.dk email address) or an external user/other academia.

Users from DTU

Avantage

To install the last version of Avantage (Thermofisher seems to have stopped at version 5.9925; we did not yet transition to version 6.x), please click the top link below. This will open a shared folder on files.dtu.dk which is an internal DTU file service that works like Dropbox; log on using your DTU initials and password.

Unzip the file and run the install file. At some point a nine digit computer number (for your installation) will be given and you will be prompted for a processing licence. To get a license, write an email to Thermo msd.support.nordic@thermofisher.com requesting a standard processing license. You will also have to inform for which system the license has to be used:

Usually you will have an answer within a day or two. Use the license to activate Avantage and you are ready to analyze your data.

CasaXPS

Download CasaXPS version 2.3.22PR1.0 from files.dtu.dk (see explanation on files.dtu.dk above) on

Unzip the file and you will generate a folder called Casa2325rev1-0P that contains the executable file CasaXPS.exe. The file is not an install file but the CasaXPS application itself. Therefore

  1. Make sure to copy the Casa2325rev1-0P folder to an appropriate location from which the application can be launched safely.
  2. Always make sure to run the CasaXPS.exe from this location. Do not make copies of the executable file, instead make desktop shortcuts to the executable.

For non-DTU academia and commercial users

Getting a non-DTU license for Avantage is unreasonably expensive so we have made another solution that will provide CasaXPS as well: A virtual PC with Avantage and CasaXPS installed that users on a specific list can log on to for the purpose of analysing XPS data. What to do:

  1. Write to Jonas (jmli@dtu.dk or click here) requesting to be added to the list.
  2. You need a VPN connection to DTU. To get that log on to https://vpn.ait.dtu.dk/ and download/install the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client (if not already done).
  3. Log on with win\xxxx where xxxx is your DTU initials.
  4. Using the Windows Remote Desktop Connection, log on to nlab-xps-avanta with the same login.

XPS Data processing

Avantage: How to analyze data

In this section, all steps (import data, add peaks and backgrounds etc.) of the analysis are described.

XPS Simplified

The web page XPS Simplified is a ThermoScientific page where you can find a lot of information about the techniques, the hardware, data analysis etc.

XPS Knowledge View

A knowledge database providing specific information on every element is included in the software. It provides very useful information about the XPS characteristics of every detectable element and it may even be a very good idea to consult it before the data is acquired. Click HERE to get information on how to access XPS Knowledge View in Avantage.

Basic instructions

Click HERE to have a complete walk-through of an example. This includes

  • Open data file
  • Open and analyze survey spectrum
  • Analyze high resolution spectra of the individual spectra:
    • Add background
    • Add peaks
    • Quantify
  • Analyze depth profiles

Guidelines on data processing

Click HERE to see some general guidelines on data processing in Avantage.

Examples of data analysis

Periodic table with binding energies of all elements

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