XPS and XAES of polyethylenes aided by line shape analysis: The effect of electron irradiation

The results of proposed approaches, i.e. C 1s fitting, C KLL width evaluation and PR line shape analysis applied to C 1s and C KLL transitions, are qualitatively consistent. The unirradiated polyethylenes indicate nearly Csp3 hybridizations. Under an electron dose a rapid decrease of Csp3 is observed, starting at a dose of 100 Cm−2. The quantitative differences observed between results obtained from analyses using the C KLL and C 1s spectra, can be explained with a smaller average information depth of C KLL transition. However, quantitative discrepancies between results of various approaches using the same electron transition, i.e. C KLL or C 1s, are smaller. The surface degradation due to X-ray irradiation was negligible in comparison to electron beam irradiation. The PR method was efficient in identifying the polyethylene surfaces under various electron doses. The largest stability under an electron beam is exhibited by the PEUHMW.