SuperESCA

Welcome to the Fast XPS beamline!

High resolution core-level photoemission spectroscopy (HR-XPS) allows in depth investigations on the electronic and structural properties of a variety of samples that ranges between single crystals, thin films as well as new nanostructured materials.
SuperESCA (the first beamline operating at Elettra since 1994) brings the possibilities of this technique even further: by combining high resolution capabilities with the high flux of linearly polarised photons in the 90 to 1500 eV range, in the beamline end-station it is possible to obtain high resolution spectra also for low-density systems (such as thin films or supported nanoparticles) and follow in real-time their evolution, e.g. during functionalization processes or surface reactions.

SuperESCA Highlights | Publications

Tungsten disulfide on Au(111)

In this work, we combined several techniques to provide a characterization of single-layer (SL) WS₂ grown on Au(111). In particular, we used x-ray photoelectron diffraction (XPD) to determine the structural properties of the interface, proving that we have a WS₂ layer with a single orientation.


Editors' Suggestion
L. Bignardi et al., Phys. Rev. Materials 3, 014003 (2019).

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Silicon on Ir(111)

Fast X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements and density functional theory calculations were used to establish whether at low coverage, Si adatoms float on the Ir surface or displace substrate atoms and are incorporated into the metal. The results show that the interface is unstable with respect to the formation of Si–Ir alloys, a behavior that excludes the formation of a silicene layer on the Ir(111) substrate.




M. Satta et al., Nanoscale 10, 7085 (2018).

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Single-oriented epitaxial MoS2

Using a combination of surface science techniques, including XPS, XPD, STM and ARPES we succesfully demonstrate a protocol for the synthesis through physical vapor deposition of SL MoS₂ on Au(111) with a single domain orientation featuring large area and a low concentration of defects. The observed complete spin reversal of the states near K and –K points of the Brillouin zone makes this layer ideal for spin-valleytronics applications.

H. Bana et al., 2D Mater. 5, 035012 (2018).

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Stable self-assembled monolayers on ferromagnetic 3d metals

The carboxylic group of prototypical benzoate molecules is found to ensure a thermally robust anchoring and strong electronic coupling of organic monolayers to 3d transition metals such as Ni, Co and Fe, at the same time hindering facile dissociation on these reactive surfaces.



R. Han et al., Chem. Commun. 52, 9805 (2016).

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Graphene nanoblisters on nickel

Argon intercalation below a graphene layer grown epitaxially on Ni(111), followed by annealing at 940 K results in the formation of Ar-filled graphene nanoblisters sealed directly to the bare Ni surface. The process was monitored with real-time High-Resolution Photoemission Spectroscopy (HR-XPS) and the atomic structure of the blisters was studied with Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM).

R. Larciprete et al., NanoLetters 16, 1808 (2016).

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Two-dimensional self-assembly of benzotriazole

Often the physicochemical properties of a material depend on its dimensionality; for organic molecules intermolecular interactions present in the 3D solid may differ from those of 2D or 1D systems. NEXAFS, XPS, HREELS, and LT-STM measurements, combined with DFT modelling, reveal a subtle balance of interactions governing the adsorption of Benzotriazole (BTAH, C₆H₅N₃) on Au(111).

F. Grillo et al., Nanoscale 8, 9167 (2016).

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Molecular twisting, lifting and curling

Coronene molecules undergo major conformational changes during surface-assisted dissociation on Ir(111): they tilt upward, then they undergo  a rotation and they settle to form a dome-shaped nanographene.

SELECTED FOR THE COVER OF VOL. 138, Issue 10.





  D. Curcio et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 138, 3395 (2016).

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Single-oriented domains of h-BN on Ir(111)

Using X-ray Photoelectron Diffraction (XPD) we show that, on the Ir(111) surface, ordinary high-temperature borazine deposition gives rise to an h-BN monolayer formed by fcc and hcp antiparallel domains, while h-BN monolayer with single fcc orientation can be synthesized by dosing borazine at room temperature followed by annealing.


F. Orlando et al., ACS Nano 8, 12063 (2014).

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Proposal Submission

We invite users and collabrators to discuss their proposals with the beamline local contacts well in advance before the submission deadline. This is crucial for a careful assessment of the experiment feasibility and may lead to improvements in the proposed experimental plan. Our website provides a wealth of information on experiment feasibilty and proposal submission. For more info, please vist the user info section.

Call for proposals

The deadline for proposal submission for beamtime allocation from July 1^st to December 31^st, 2019 will be March 15^th, 2019.