What is ISO 22581 about?
The thin films can be those generated on metals and alloys by aerobic or electrochemical oxidation or be those deposited on inert substrates. ISO 22581 was provided to assist in the surface analysis of thin films on materials. Materials that are not thought to contain carbon compounds as intended components but for which a C1s peak is observed in the survey spectrum.
ISO 22581 provides a simple procedure for identifying the C1s signal from carbon-containing surface contamination. When the C1s peak is identified as arising from an adventitious over-layer the composition derived from the survey spectrum can be corrected for its influence.
Recommended procedures are provided in the form of simple rules structured in the 'if – then' format with the intention that the information they embody might be utilized by automated procedures in data systems. The rules provided utilize only information retrieved from the XPS survey scan.
Who is ISO 22581 for?
ISO 22581 on the identification of, and correction for, surface contamination is applicable to:
- Metal manufactures
- Analyzers
- Alloy manufactures 
- Quality control laboratories
- End users
Why should you use ISO 22581?
In many cases the surface for which a composition is desired will have accreted a film of contamination, frequently organic in nature and arising from adsorption of molecules from the atmosphere, from the exposure to a working or test environment, or from the spectrometer itself. This film attenuates the different regions of the spectrum to a different extent, depending on the kinetic energy of the electron emitted in that region. Thus, correction and removal of this influence is necessary for the desired surface composition of the substrate to be achieved.
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy method described in ISO 22581 enables recognition of the presence of carbon-containing contamination, an estimate of its thickness, and the removal of its influence on the measured surface composition
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy technique described in ISO 22581 helps in development of rule sets, that enable accurate information retrieval, highly important.
