X-Ray photoelectron diffraction and photoelectron holography as investigation methods for the local atomic structure of solid surface

The review considers the theoretical and experimental aspects of X-ray photoelectron diffraction and photoelectron holography — rapidly developing methods meant for investigation of the atomic structure of solid surfaces, in particular, nanostructures, which are formed on the surface during gas adsorption, epitaxial film growth and so on. It is demonstrated that the depth of analysis by these methods is a few nanometres; this provides characterization of the positions of atoms located both on the surface and below the surface. The methods are sensitive to the sort of atom and, in the case of high energy resolution, to the isolated chemical form of the elements. The accumulated experimental information on the application of these methods to study surface structures is analyzed and generalized.
Bibliography — 122 references.