High-energy resolution core level photoelectron spectroscopy and diffraction: Powerful tools to probe physical and chemical properties of solid surfaces

Since the seventies, core level spectroscopy has played a key role in elucidating the geometric and electronic structure of solid surfaces. Due to their high localization, core electrons are extremely sensitive to the chemical state and to the local environment, and for this reason can be used for the identification of local configurations. The high energy resolution now attainable with this technique (below 100meV) and the reduced data acquisition time (down to few ms per spectrum) has opened the possibility to probe the physical and chemical properties of a large variety of low-dimensional systems and to shed light on complex processes taking place on solid surfaces. The characterization of the properties of mono- and bi-metallic materials, the investigation of the atomic and molecular interactions on solid surfaces and the recent findings on epitaxial graphene outline the potential of high energy resolution core level photoelectron spectroscopy and photoelectron diffraction as precious tools in determining nanoscale electronic, geometrical and chemical properties.