Direct Work Function Measurement Using in‐situ Ambient Pressure X‐ray Photoemission Spectroscopy and Its Application on Copper Oxidation Process

Abstract The work function (WF) measurement plays a critical role in engineering energy materials and energy devices. However, the ultra‐high vacuum (UHV) environments of photoemission method limit the practical application for absolute work function measurements of materials, especially under complex working conditions. To understand the energy level of materials under complex chemical environments, the in‐situ measurements of work function is necessary in complex metal/semiconductor system for various application. In this paper, we describe the utilization of ambient pressure X‐ray photoemission spectroscopy (APXPS) with utilization of low photon energy X‐ray for absolute WF measurements at BL02B of the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility. We herein present the WF measurement during oxygen adsorption on Pt(111) and oxidation of Cu(111) in ambient oxygen environment as demonstration of the APXPS capability for WF measurement. After oxygen chemisorption on Pt and formation of Cu2O, the WF will increase. This is due to charge transfer from metal to chemisorbed oxygen atoms. After the formation of bulk Cu2O and CuO, the WF value almost remain at ~5.5 eV. We believe the direct measurement of absolute work function via APXPS could help bridge the gap between the physical properties and the surface chemical species for metal/semiconductor materials.