The XPS hardware is controlled by Vision Instrument Manager (VIM) software.

Do not exit from Vision Instrument Manager as restart follows with caliberation
requirements.#

Instrument Manual Control window is the interface which allows the operator to manually
control various hardware modules. Normally, this window should be left open but, if it is
not, users may open it from the VIM menu bar.

Modules may be activated or made inactive by left clicking the box next to the module
name at the top of the IMC window.minimum--- Analyser, Acquisition, Xray Gun, Stage,
and Vacuum.
The maximum X-ray source power that should be used is 150 W (Emission 10 mA and
Anode HT 15 kV). While it is desirable to operate the X-ray source at maximum power
to obtain the best signal-to-noise ratio.
Mouse Operation
Left mouse button
Selects data objects and menu items
Activates software buttons
Mouse wheel
When rotated: Scrolls through menu lists
When depressed: Pastes selected objects into the window in which the cursor is
located
Right mouse button
Opens location-specific menus

Typical Survey scan

Hybrid lens for 700 X 300 um. Electrostatic for ferromagnetic lens.
Typical Core Spectra

Typical snapshot spectra sweep : 1, dwell : 3s

Before Operation, check:

STATUS indicator on the Controller Processor Unit displays "d.3",

SAC pressure 1 x 10-8 Torr and STC pressure 5 x 10-7 Torr

Focussing Methods
Manual or Auto-z
Manual Sample Height Adjustment
After the sample holder has been transferred into the SAC, adjust the sample height so
that the camera is focussed on the sample surface, as described below. The CCD camera
image is displayed on the video monitor.
Minimize the camera magnification, using the thumb wheel on the right side of the
camera, just above the mounting flange.
On the Stage panel of the IMC, check that the Calibrated button is green
Use the SAC stage X and Y controls to position your sample laterally under the camera. If
possible, adjust the X and Y positions so that there is a defect, which you can focus on, in
the field of view.
Use the SAC stage Z control to position the sample so that the best focus lies
approximately in a diagonal band from the top left corner of the video monitor to the
bottom right corner. If the upper right has better focus, move down. If the lower left has
better focus, move up. Don't bother focussing precisely at low magnification; fine tuning
the focus is best done at the highest magnification.
Increase the camera magnification a little.
Repeat steps until good focus in the diagonal band at the maximum magnification.
If desired, save the sample position in the Position table, located in the Stage panel, as
follows. This is recommended if you intend to acquire spectra in more than one location.
In the Stage panel, press the Add button. The coordinates of the current SAC stage
position will be inserted in a row immediately below the existing entries in the stage
Position table.
Save the position table in the C:\Stage Positions directory by clicking Save Table. *.dset
format!!! Include your name or initials in the file name
9.4.3 Auto-z
Perform the Auto-z procedure as follows.
1) Position your sample laterally so that the analysis position is in the centre of the video
monitor (at the red dot).
2) Adjust the sample height approximately to the camera focal point (see Section 9.4.2:
Manual Sample Height Adjustment).
3) Save the sample position in the Position table, located in the Stage panel, as follows.

a) In the Stage panel, press the Add button. The coordinates of the current SAC stage
position will be inserted in a row immediately below the existing entries in the stage
Position table.
b) Change the name of the position to a meaningful name & click Enter
c) Save the position table in the C:\Stage Positions directory by clicking Save Table.
Include your name or initials in the file name.
4) Turn on the charge neutralizer, if required
5) If you know the position of a strong XPS peak from your sample, jump to step 6).
Otherwise, do the following.
a) Collect a survey spectrum (see Section 9.5: Acquisition of XPS Spectra)
b) Select any strong peak in the spectrum, e.g., O 1s.
6) Type the spectral parameters of the desired XPS peak, e.g., O 1s, into a row of the
Energy Regions Table of the Acquisition panel, as follows. After typing each entry, press
Enter.
a) Region Name: name of the desired XPS peak, e.g., "O 1s".
b) Centre: energy of the desired XPS peak.
c) Ignore the Width & Step values.17
d) Dwell: 3000 ms.
e) # Sweeps: 1.
7) Ensure that the desired XPS peak is the only active row in the Energy Regions Table.
8) Set up a snapshot spectrum acquisition using the following parameters.
Analyser
Mode: Spectrum
Lens: FOV1
Resolution: Pass energy 160
Aperture: slot
Acquisition
Technique: XPS
Type: Snapshot
Energy scale: B.E.
Ref.: Al (Mono)
X-ray Gun
Source: Mono (Al)
Emission (mA): 10
Anode HT (kV): 15
For delicate samples, it may be desirable to reduce the emission current and anode
voltage.
9) Set the X-ray source to On.
10) Ensure that the current position is selected in the Position table.
11) Ensure that the Auto-z panel of the Stage panel is open
12) Enter the desired parameters in the Auto-z panel. Usually, the default parameters are
satisfactory. Af-ter typing each entry, press Enter.
a) No. Increments should be odd.
b) Ordinate Choice should be Area.
13) Click Grab Scan.

14) Click Optimize. Auto-z should commence.

15) Wait for Auto-z to complete.19 On completion, a data object named Auto-z should be
created in the data region of VIM and the sample stage should have moved to the
optimized Z value.
16) If desired, save the Position table by clicking Save Table.
17) The results of the optimization (peak area vs. Z) may be viewed by selecting the
Auto-z data object and pasting it into the Real-Time Display window.
18) If the optimum Z is at either end of the range, repeat the Auto-z procedure.

Acquisition of XPS Spectra

Active Panels :
Vacuum
Stage
Analyser
Acquisition
X-ray Gun
Neutraliser only for insulating samples
Before acquiring a spectrum, check the following.
1) At the bottom of the Analyser panel, both Analyser and Channel plate are in standby
mode. If not, press the Set Standby button. Both should now be in standby mode.
2) At the top of the Stage panel, the Calibrated button is green. If not, contact the tool
owner.
Do not attempt to calibrate the stage yourself.
3) SAC pressure < 5 x 10-8 Torr. Do not turn on the X-ray source, if it is higher.
Always warm up the Xray slowly, 1mA, 10 KV then increase to 15 KV in step of 1 while
monitoring the pressure.
In the Acquisition panel:
a) Ensure that only the desired spectra in the Energy Regions Table are active.
b) Press the On button. It should turn green and acquistion should commence.
c) Press the Off button. It should flash amber until acquisition is completed.

..

i.

Running procedure

Performing a survey scan

FlowChart

View/Acquiring
Section

1. Click on the Manager zone in the top task bar to open the Vision Instrument
Manager work area
2. Click resume (a in figure above) button at the top of the window to set to
Automatic mode.
3. Choose the Dataset button
a.

Enter a filename for storing your data in the filename field

b.

Enter a name for this flow chart item in the name field. (e.g., Filename)

4. Click on the middle mouse button to paste the Filename sequence in the flow
chart section of the manager window.
5. Choose the Acquisition button and set up the parameters for the survey scan.
The following are typical values (See also Acquisition Conditions Reference Sheet):
a.

Name: Survey

b.

Standby Control: Leave On (leaves X-rays on after scan completed)

c.

Analyzer

i.

Mode: Spectrum

ii.

Lens Mode: Hybrid

iii.

Resolution: Pass Energy 160

iv.

Aperture: Slot
d.

Detectors enabled: 115

e.

X-Ray PSU (Power Supply Unit)

i.

Filament: Mono

ii.

Emission: 10

iii.

Anode HT: 15

Never go above 20, as it will degrade source life

f.

Charge Neutralizer: Under Manual Control

g.

Scan Control

i.

Region Name: Type in Survey

ii.

Start eV: 1200 (right click on header to change from Centre eV to Start
eV)

iii.

End eV: -5

iv.

Dwell ms: 200

v.

# Sweeps: 1

vi.

Click on Active box

6. Click on the middle mouse button to paste the Survey sequence in the flow chart
7. Click on Submit to start the flowchart job (Survey scan)
8. If desired, choose Acquiring in the view window to see the scan data being
collected in the Real Time Window
9. When completed, the scan may be viewed in the Real Time Window by highlighting
the item in the acquiring window and middle mouse button pasting into the
right-hand section of the real-time display window.

i.

a.

Using mouse control menus you may zoom in on regions of the scan, change
the scan label, etc.

b.

Choose element list from Windows pull down menu to open up an element list
for identifying peaks

Clicking on peaks of interest in the Real Time Window will cause

associated element to display in the element list window

ii.

Data acquisition

Performing spectroscopy around peak(s) of interest

This procedure assumes that you have already set up and performed a survey scan as
described previously.

1. Click on the Manager zone in the top task bar to open the Vision Instrument
Manager work area
2. Click in the flow chart area of the Manager window
3. As was done to create the survey scan, create an acquisition flow chart element
with a descriptive name such as Core Scan
4. Choose the Acquisition button and set up the parameters for the scan. It is
suggested that you use the conditions suggested in the Acquisition Conditions
Reference Sheet at the end of this document for a Region or Valence Band energy
range scan.
5. Scroll to Scan Control Section and enter in desired scan settings using one of the
following methods:
a. Use Element List
i. Choose element list from the pull down Windows menu
ii. Click on a peak of interest in the Real Time Display Window
iii. Click on the associate element in the element list, and the scan
settings for that element will be automatically loaded in the scan
control settings. You may choose multiple elements from the element
list to enter multiple lines in the scan settings
b. Enter region name in manually (e.g., O 1s) and settings will automatically
load. (Note region name must match exact spelling and case of entry
contained in database)
6. Click on Active box beside each row in the Scan Control Section for which you
want a scan to be made
7. Click on the middle mouse button to paste the Core Scan sequence in the flow
chart
8. Click on Submit to start the flowchart job (Core Scan)
9. If desired, choose Acquiring in the view window to see the scan data being
collected in the Real Time Window
10. When scans are completed, highlight them in the viewing window and paste into
the Real Time Display window to view all scans.