NIST Standard Reference Database 100

NIST Database for the Simulation of Electron Spectra for Surface Analysis (SESSA): Version 1.3

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SESSA has been designed to facilitate quantitative analyses by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The database contains physical data required for quantitative interpretation of an electron spectrum for a specimen with a given composition. Retrieval of relevant data is performed by a small expert system [1-3] that queries the comprehensive databases. A simulation module is also available within SESSA that provides an estimate of peak intensities as well as the energy and angular distribution of the emitted electron flux. The information needed by the expert system to accomplish its task closely matches instrument settings made by an experimenter when actually performing a measurement and is complemented by an initial estimate of the sample composition.

SESSA can be used for two main applications. First, data are provided for many parameters needed in quantitative AES and XPS (differential inverse inelastic mean free paths, total inelastic mean free paths, differential elastic-scattering cross sections, total elastic-scattering cross sections, transport cross sections, photoionization cross sections, photoionization asymmetry parameters, electron-impact ionization cross sections, photoelectron lineshapes, Auger-electron lineshapes, fluorescence yields, and Auger-electron backscattering factors). Second, Auger-electron and photoelectron spectra can be simulated for layered samples. The simulated spectra, for layer compositions and thicknesses specified by the user, can be compared with measured spectra. The layer compositions and thicknesses can then be adjusted to find maximum consistency between simulated and measured spectra. The design of the software allows the user to enter the required information in a reasonably simple way. The modular structure of the user interface closely matches that of the usual control units on a real instrument. In other words, any user who is familiar with a typical electron spectrometer can perform a retrieval/simulation operation with the SESSA software in a few minutes for a specimen with a given composition.

Version 1.0 of this database was released in December, 2005. Version 1.1 was released in December, 2006 with an enhancement to the Model Calculation screen that permits the user to display and save the zero-order partial intensities. Previously, a user had to go to another screen to perform these operations. Version 1.2 was released in March, 2010 with the following enhancements: an additional and more intuitive format for specifying the composition of a material; a new capability to perform simulations with polarized photons; the ability to save plots in additional file formats; the addition of a chemical-shift database for selected peaks; improvements in the peak-management software; and incorporation of a faster random number generator. In addition, an internet SESSA forum has been established for user questions and a new SESSA bug-tracking web page has been established. Version 1.3 was released in May, 2011 with a new database of non-dipole photoionization cross sections that are necessary in simulations of X-ray photoelectron intensities with X-ray energies higher than a few keV. In addition, a description is given of how SESSA can be called and controlled from an external application.

A fully functional demonstration version of SESSA can be downloaded by clicking here. This trial version can be used for a 15-day trial period without charge.

Please click to view the PDF version of Users' Guide,

Systems Requirements:

SESSA runs on personal computers using the Windows operating system including Windows 7 32-bit. The databases and software require a hard disc space of approximately 180 MB. The minimum amount of RAM needed to run SESSA is about 15 MB, but 30 MB or more is needed for simulations. SESSA is also available for MacIntosh OS X and Linux operating systems, but these versions have not been as extensively tested as the Windows version, and are not supported.

Price: $1390.00

Mac Version

Linux Version 

If you are having problems with the Online Purchase or Fax/Mail Order Link.

Effective immediately, there will be a minimum $30.00 shipping charge for all international shipments of databases via UPS International. Customer will be responsible for their own duties, tax, and VAT. Contact 301 975 2200 or data@nist.gov if you have questions.

For more information please contact:

The scientific contact for the database is:

Additional information for users of SESSA is available at http://eaps4.iap.tuwien.ac.at/~werner/sessa.html.

1. W. Smekal, W. S. M. Werner, and C. J. Powell, Surf. Interface Anal. 37, 1059 (2005).2. W. S. M. Werner, Surf. Interface Anal. 31, 141 (2001).3. W. S. M. Werner, in Surface Analysis by Auger and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, D. Briggs and J. T. Grant, eds. (IMPublications, Chichester, 2003), p. 235.

Keywords: Auger-electron backscattering factors, Auger-electron lineshapes, Auger electron spectroscopy, cross sections, elastic scattering, electron-impact ionization cross section, electron scattering, electron transport, fluorescence yields, inelastic mean free paths, inelastic scattering, photoelectron lineshapes, photoionization asymmetry parameters, photoionization cross sections, surface analysis, transport cross sections, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.