Xenon • Noble Gases

Primary XPS region: Xe3d
Overlapping regions: N/A
Binding energies of common chemical states:

Experimental Information

N/A

Interpretation of XPS spectra

• Xe3d region has well separated spin-orbit components.

General comments

• Xe is a gas and is not commonly found in XPS spectra.
• Xe may be observed as implanted atoms, if a material has been subjected to Xe ion bombardment using Xe gas instead of the more usual Ar gas.

About This Element

Symbol: Xe
Date of Discovery: 1898
Name Origin: Greek meaning strange
Appearance: colorless
Discoverer: William Ramsay, Morris Travers
Obtained From: liquified air

Melting Point: -111.9 K
Boiling Point: -108.1 K
Density[kg/m3]: 5.894
Molar Volume: 35.92 × 10-6 m3/mol
Protons/Electrons: 54
Neutrons: 77
Shell Structure: 2,8,18,18,8
Electron Configuration: [Kr]4d105s25p6
Oxidation State: 0,+1,+2,+4,+6,+8
Crystal Structure: Cubic

This odorless and colorless gas has a high molecular weight, which is often useful when used in atomic energy fields in bubble chambers, probes, and other applications. Xenon was identified a few weeks after the discovery of krypton and neon – all zero-valence elements know as noble gases. Xenon is used to make strobe lights. There are nine stable xenon isotopes, many of which have important medical applications. Three are used extensively in diagnostic procedures, while another is used in the treatment of prostate cancer.