The Office of the Vice President (VP) for Research at USC maintains the X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) Research Core which can be used by researchers at the University or customers from outside industry. The center also boasts:
Techniques:
X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS): It is a surface sensitive (1 to 10nm) technique to determine elemental and chemical composition of a materials surface (Qualitative and Quantitative analysis).The instrument has Dual anode (Al. & Ag) with large area and small spot XPS capabilities.
XPS Chemical Imaging: It has capability to acquire parallel chemical images as small as 1x1 µm and it has image stitching capabilities for large area chemical imaging.
Dual mode Ion Source (for Sputtering &Depth Profiling):
Surface cleaning: It serves to clean contaminants from the surface before analysis and
Depth Profile XPS analysis: By alternating between sputtering (removing surface layers) and XPS measurements, it is possible to analyze the composition and chemical states of a material at different depths.
Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES): It is a surface sensitive (1-5nm) technique using an electron beam that gives higher spatial resolution (as small as 10 nm) which can be used for elemental mapping and determine the thickness of oxide layers.
Ultraviolet Photoelectron Spectroscopy (UPS): studies the electronic structure of materials, especially valence bands and molecular orbitals near the Fermi level, using He(I) and He(II) sources. It is used to determine work function, ionization energy, and electronic band structure, and to analyze the surface chemistry and electronic properties of thin films, semiconductors, and organic materials.
Ion Scattering Spectroscopy (ISS): is used to analyze the outermost atomic layer by bombarding it with low-energy ions and measuring their scattering. It is used to determine surface composition, cleanliness, and adsorption behavior.
Reflected Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (REELS): It is a surface characterization technique that measures the energy loss of reflected electrons to determine the band gap, molecular orbital energies, and surface defects of a material.
Insitu Catalysis Cell: is designed to study catalytic reactions under realistic operating conditions while allowing surface analysis afterward. It enables experiments at high pressures (up to several bars) and elevated temperatures, simulating actual catalytic environments. After reaction, samples can be transferred under vacuum to an analysis chamber (like XPS) without air exposure.
Accessories:
Air Sensitive Glove Box: Preventing exposure to oxygen and moisture is crucial, as it can alter surface chemistry and affect analysis accuracy. The FlexiLock, connected to a custom Kratos glovebox, enables inert handling and safe transfer of air-sensitive samples into the UHV analysis chamber using specialized holders, without atmospheric exposure.
Low Energy Electron Charge Neutralizer: it is used to dissipate the charge accumulation from the energy source on the surface of the samples like insulators and semi-conductor samples.
Leadership
Dr. Santosh Kiran Balijepalli | XPS Facility Director
Location and hours of operation
Hours
Location
Interaction hours with Users:
Mon-Fri: 8 am to 4pm
Horizon-I Building, Room#029
541 Main Street, Columbia, SC 29201
Contacts
Name
Role
Phone
Email
Location
Santosh Kiran Balijepalli
XPS Facility Director
803-777-3949
skiran@sc.edu
Room#029, 541 Main Street, Horizon-I Building, Columbia, SC, 29201
XPS Core User Fee
Search available services:
Name
Description
Price
Assisted Instrument Usage/Hour
Work will be performed by XPS Core staff - Independent usage not available at this time
Welcome!
