title: Graphene oxide windows for in situ environmental cell photoelectron spectroscopy.
abstract: The performance of new materials and devices often depends on processes taking place at the interface between an active solid element and the environment (such as air, water or other fluids). Understanding and controlling such interfacial processes require surface-specific spectroscopic information acquired under real-world operating conditions, which can be challenging because standard approaches such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy generally require high-vacuum conditions. The state-of-the-art approach to this problem relies on unique and expensive apparatus including electron analysers coupled with sophisticated differentially pumped lenses. Here, we develop a simple environmental cell with graphene oxide windows that are transparent to low-energy electrons (down to 400 eV), and demonstrate the feasibility of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements on model samples such as gold nanoparticles and aqueous salt solution placed on the back side of a window. These proof-of-principle results show the potential of using graphene oxide, graphene and other emerging ultrathin membrane windows for the fabrication of low-cost, single-use environmental cells compatible with commercial X-ray and Auger microprobes as well as scanning or transmission electron microscopes.
authors.affiliation: Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois 62901, USA. akolmakov@physics.siu.edu
authors.forename: Andrei
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kolmakov
authors.forename: Dmitriy A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Dikin
authors.forename: Laura J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Cote
authors.forename: Jiaxing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Majid Kazemian
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Abyaneh
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amati
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gregoratti
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Günther
authors.forename: Maya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kiskinova
mesh_terms: D006108:Graphite; D010087:Oxides; D056951:Photoelectron Spectroscopy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D010087:Oxides; D006108:Graphite