Auger electron spectroscopy and its use for the characterization of titanium and hydroxyapatite surfaces

This review paper provides the basic background and underlying theory behind Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). Among the many surface analytical tools, AES has been shown to be very effective for surface composition analysis. These analyses are critically needed to better understand the interactions between the host and implant. The use of AES for titanium (Ti) and hydroxyapatite (HA) biomaterials characterization is demonstrated in this paper. The relative peak heights of TiL2, 3M2, 3V can be used as ‘fingerprints’ for TiO2 surfaces which have undergone different degrees of reduction. Similarly, for HA coatings, a shift in the phosphorus Auger peaks to a higher kinetic energy indicates the presence of a phosphate group, with strong P-O bonds.