Anna Regoutz: Recent Developments in Hard X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy and Theory

Anna Regoutz: Recent Developments in Hard X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy and Combination with Theoretical Approaches
TACO Colloquium, 23 May 2022

Abstract: The characterization of heterogeneous materials presents a challenge for classically surface-sensitive techniques such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Whilst their surface sensitivity is a great asset in many scientific areas, it can present a limitation when the research question demands information on the bulk of a material or buried layers and interfaces. In the area of photoelectron spectroscopy (PES), the probing depth can be extended using hard X-ray sources with excitation energies above 2 keV rather than the traditional soft X-ray sources. Hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES) has seen extensive development in recent years. The advent of extremely bright laboratory sources and X-ray free-electron lasers has extended its remit and accessibility beyond its traditional home at synchrotron sources. This seminar will present the current state-of-the-art of the HAXPES technique, outlining opportunities and challenges for materials characterization. Case studies will be presented to showcase the ability of HAXPES to aid the characterization of complex materials, from metals to semiconductors and insulators. It will also discuss opportunities and current developments and challenges in combining HAXPES with theory to aid the interpretation and understanding of the collected spectral information. HAXPES goes beyond the surface, providing new and exciting avenues for the characterization of complex materials. This seminar will provide inspiration for experienced, novice, and future XPS and HAXPES users, as well as theory colleagues.

Bio: DI Dr. Anna Regoutz received her DPhil from the University of Oxford in 2014. She began her independent research career as an Imperial College Research Fellow in 2017 before moving to University College London in 2019. She is a Lecturer in Materials Chemistry at UCL, a CAMS-UK Fellow, and a Visiting Scientist at Diamond Light Source, the UK synchrotron. She was awarded the Joseph Black Award from the Royal Society of Chemistry in 2020 and the element Praseodymium on the Periodic Table of Younger Chemists by IUPAC in 2019. Her group is highly interdisciplinary covering the understanding, discovery, and targeted design of materials for the development of future electronic device generations. A major focus of her work is the development and application of soft and hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy in the area of electronic materials and devices.