New scientific opportunities in key research fields like catalysis, research on liquid and aqueous samples, and living matter demand a combination of in-situ x-ray photoemission experiments (XPS) with high-pressure environments of up to 10 mbar.

To address these exciting new challenges we have developed a novel photoemission spectrometer that enables angle resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) at pressures up to 10 mbar with an angular acceptance of +/- 22°. This new set-up not only dramatically increases the spectrometer transmission but also allows non-destructive depth profiling exploiting the angular dependence of the XPS signal.

The instrument consists of a differentially pumped PHOIBOS 150 hemispherical analyzer with a pre-lens. This newly developed pre-lens increases the acceptance angle of the PHOIBOS analyzer by a factor of 5. At the same time it allows extremely efficient differential pumping of the gas atmosphere above the sample.