Scanning photoemission spectromicroscopy applications in surface chemistry

Scanning photoelectron microscopy (SPEM) combines X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) with spatial resolution and is a powerful technique to image and probe micro and nanostructures. An overview of some recent achievements of the SPEM hosted at the Elettra synchrotron light laboratory will be presented in this report. The examples will spread through the oxidation as well as mass transport of multiwall carbon nanotubes clean and functionalized with metallic coatings, the electronic and chemical characterization of semiconductor sensor prototypes and the oxidation of PtRh nanoparticles produced by pulsed-laser deposition (PLD) with atomic oxygen.