NPL provides synthetic XPS data in ISO14976 format files which allow you to validate the peak fitting routines used in your software.

The development of a range of VAMAS (ISO14976) format data files containing synthetic test spectra and their use in evaluating the peak fitting routines of three commercial XPS data analysis systems is reported in our article in Journal of Electron Spectroscopy;

'Validation and Accuracy of Software for Peak Synthesis in XPS', by M P Seah and M T Brown, Journal of Electron Spectroscopy 95 (1998) 71-93

You can download a Zip file containing all the synthetic spectra ( Zip file 155 KB) used in this article. The synthetic spectra approximate the carbon 1s peaks for poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(vinyl acetate), poly(vinyl chloride) and poly(isobutylene). One full set of spectra is constructed with Gauss-Lorentz product function peaks and a second full set with Gauss-Lorentz sum function peaks.

The synthetic spectra allow tests for:

• Acceptance of VAMAS (ISO14976) formats with data as counts as a function of kinetic energy or binding energy scales that may have positive or negative abscissa increments
• Gaussian-Lorentzian sum or product function peaks
• Effectiveness of Shirley background subtraction
• Effectiveness of Tougaard background subtraction
• Peak synthesis with partly resolved peaks with no background
• Peak synthesis with a Shirley background

For more information see Journal of Electron Spectroscopy 95 (1998) 71-93.

IMPORTANT: This software has not been fully subjected to NPL's Quality Assurance Procedures. No warranty or guarantee applies to this software, and therefore any users should satisfy themselves that it meets their requirements. This software will be provided free of charge, on an "as is" basis to anyone who may believe it may be useful to them. Considerable care has been taken in preparing this software since no support can be offered. Unfortunately, we are unable to devote time to discussing its use or operation with interested parties.