Scandium
Doublet Separations
- Sc 2p: 4.8 eV
The Energies Listed are Binding Energies!
- Sc 2s: 500 eV
- Sc 2p: 399 eV
- Sc 3s: 54 eV
- Sc 3p: 32 eV
The Energies Listed are Binding Energies!
Sc is primarily analysed via the 2p orbital
- Yb 4p: 396 eV
- N 1s: 397 eV
- Tb 4s: 398 eV
- Ta 4p: 405 eV
- Cd 3d: 405 eV
- Tl 4d: 407 eV
Energies listed are Kinetic Energies!
Sc LMM: ~ 1150 eV
The Energies Listed are Binding Energies!
| Species | Binding energy / eV | Charge Ref | Ref |
| Sc(0) | 398.45 | C 1s (284.8) | 1 |
| ScBr3 | 400.8 | C 1s (284.8) | 2 |
| ScCl3 | 401.2 | C 1s (284.8) | 2 |
| Sc2O3 | 401.6 | C 1s (284.8) | 2 |
| Sc2(CO3)3 | 402.6 | C 1s (284.8) | 2 |
| Sc2(CO3)4 | 403.9 | C 1s (284.8) | 2 |
| Sc(NO3)3 | 403.4 | C 1s (284.8) | 2 |
| ScF3 | 405.3 | C 1s (284.8) | 2 |
| ScOOH | 402.87 | C 1s (284.8) | 1 |
Scandium exhibits more classical behaviour in XPS, compared the the other first row transition metals. With Coster-Kronig transitions energetically unfavourable, and a lack of unpaired valence electrons results in no asymmetric peak broadening, or multiplet splitting – both features of first row TM XPS.
There is, however, significant peak asymmetry for Sc metal, owing to the high degree of electron density around the Fermi energy.
Scandium overlaps significantly with N 1s – and as such, recording the Sc 2s as well as the Sc 2p will allow a secondary check in the event of significant amounts of both elements.
The main oxygen peak for Sc2O3 lies at 529.7 eV.
A hydrated/hydroxide species may lie at 531.8 eV. (1)
Fitting of native oxide overlayers may require use of a suboxide feature at around 400.5 eV.
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- Biesinger, Mark C., et al. “Resolving surface chemical states in XPS analysis of first row transition metals, oxides and hydroxides: Sc, Ti, V, Cu and Zn.” Applied surface science 257.3 (2010): 887-898. Read it online here.
- Zimina, Anna, Aline Léon, and Ralph Steininger. “Chemical bonding effects in Sc compounds studied using X-ray absorption and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies.” Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics 26.3 (2024): 2613-2621. Read it online here.
