Zhi Liu
The synchrotron based ambient pressure x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (AP-XPS) endstation[1] pioneered at ALS based on differentially pumped electron energy analyzer has been recognized by scientific communities as an important in-situ tool to study water, environmental science, catalysis and many other important fields. There is perhaps no better evidence than the fact that eight new AP-XPS end stations are currently under construction or development at US and international synchrotron light sources.
I will give an overview of science projects at BL9.3.2 in heterogeneous catalysis and electrochemical cells. I will mainly present results from the soft x-ray AP-XPS station[2]. This instrument, Scienta HiPP4000, is a result of collaboration between ALS and its industrial partner VG-Scienta. Beside an improved performance of electron transmission, it can be operated in spectro-microscopy mode with a spatial resolution of ~ 20 μm in one dimension, or angle-resolved mode.
We have also just commissioned a new hard x-ray APXPS end station to increase the photoelectron probing depth limit from 1nm to >10 nm, which will allow us to investigate not only the gas/solid interface but also the liquid/solid interface. This new hard X-ray end station can be a powerful in-situ tool for studying the electrolyte/electrode interface and electrochemical devices.
