Instrument parameter reporting is often woefully insufficient for either assessment of results or replication of measurements. A new series of Surface Science Spectra (SSS) papers has been initiated to help address the need. Some instrument parameters, such as geometry, remain constant for a specific family of instruments. Other important parameters for XPS spectrometers, such as pass energies, have impacts that vary with instrument design, and a simple number does not necessarily provide useful information to a journal reader. The SSS papers provide a level of information about systems not generally available. The papers also describe common modes of operation that authors can reference, providing the needed details without the need for a full description.
Two instrument papers (SPECS EnviroESCA (NAP-XPS) and IONTOF Qtac (LEIS) are published or undergoing review, after minor revisions. One (Phi VersaProbe) is in SSS review, and two (Kratos Supra, Surpra+, and ThermoFisher NEXA G20) are in preparation.
Paul M. Dietrich, et al.; Description and operation characteristics of SPECS EnviroESCA. Surf. Sci. Spectra 2025; 32 (1):013001 https://doi.org/10.1116/6.0003878 Philipp Brüner et al.; Description and Operation Characteristics of IONTOF Qtac High Sensitivity Low Energy Ion Scattering Spectrometer, Resubmitted to Surf. Sci. Spectra after minor revision August 15, 2025. Noeb Biderman, et al.; Description and Operating Characteristics of PHI VersaProbe XPS Instruments Submitted to Surf. Sci. Spectra August 29, 2025.
