The top few nanometers of a sample is defined as the surface. The surface is where most chemical reactions take place. There are many instances where the surface of materials are designed/functionalized in order to optimize properties and improve device performance; there are other instances where the surface becomes compromised and the material/device performance degrades. Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), and Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) are the three most common, and commercially available, surface analysis techniques. These techniques provide complimentary information regarding the composition/microstructure of the surface and sub-surface region of a sample. In this presentation, I will introduce AES, XPS, and ToF-SIMS, show typical data, and discuss how the data helped understand mechanisms and/or resolve material problems.  I will also introduce techniques which we do not have in-house,but have access to via external collaborations.

Vincent (Vin, Vince) S. Smentkowski is a Senior Scientist at the GE Vernova Advanced Research Center where he performs surface analysis to support programs at the Vernova Research Center, the Vernova businesses, and strategic partners. His research is focused on the applications of ToF-SIMS analysis, emphasizing how multivariate statistical analysis tools facilitate data reduction; he also collaborates with external laboratories to evaluate advanced microstructural characterization techniques such as Atom Probe Tomography and Helium Ion Microscopy and show the benefits these techniques have for industrial materials. Dr. Smentkowski holds 7 U.S. patents, more than 100 publications in referred journals, more than 280 formal GE internal manuscripts, numerous contributed, invited and keynote talks. He has co-authored 3 book chapters and edited one book “Surface Analysis and Techniques in Biology” (Springer, 2014). In 2011, Dr. Smentkowski served as the first Guest Editor for a Special Issue of Microscopy Today focused on Surface Analysis. He is a 2010 Fellow of the American Vacuum Society (AVS) and a 2021 Fellow of the Microanalysis Society (MAS); he was also a recipient of the AVS Excellence in Leadership Recognition Award in 2015. Dr. Smentkowski has served many roles within AVS.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincentsmentkowski/

Twitter: @VinSmentkowski