The Development of Ambient Pressure X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy and Its Application to Surface Science

Ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (AP-XPS) is an emerging in situ spectroscopic technique which is creating a new road map in the world of surface science. AP-XPS is a powerful tool to investigate and help us to understand the electronic structures of surfaces and the chemical states of adsorbates and substrates under realistic conditions. The purpose of this report is to present the role of AP-XPS in surface science by reviewing the development and applications of AP-XPS. This chapter contains the brief history of AP-XPS, the latest progress in the instrumentation, and its recent results from noble model systems as well as practical real system in surface science. Also, the directions of future research using AP-XPS are discussed.