Citations (Where available)
Neal Fairley will probably be familiar to many XPS users in the surface analysis community as the creator of the CasaXPS software.
Alongside most XPS vendors own software and other standalone processing packages, it has stood the test of time, since 1999 ( i.e. 22 years ) as a powerful and usable tool to aid researchers in understanding their XPS spectra. This nomination is not for creating successful software, but for his single handed endeavours to improve it and update regularly every time new information comes along, and to reach out to new users and educate them in the joys of understanding XPS spectra.
Neals background was a PhD in mathematical modelling of Auger transitions followed by, amongst other things, a career at Kratos working on SIMS. Neal has collaborations ranging worldwide with researchers such as Sven Tougaard, Mark Beisinger, John Walton and Vincent Fernandez. He has co-authored multiple publications and books on the finer points of peak fitting and imaging analysis for XPS data, and robably most importantly he runs data processing workshops for anyone ranging from students to senior professors and industrial researchers in Teignmouth and Roscoff and alongside UKSAF and ECASIA conferences. He has recorded 249 (and counting) YouTube videos to supplement these.
Those who know him will say he is an enthusiast, who, despite never having acquired a single XP spectrum in person, understands them and delights in unpicking the sample details as well as the instrument strengths and flaws.
The 2020 award is made to Alison Crossley of the Oxford Characterisation Service at Begbroke Science Park. Previous to this position, she led the Materials Characterisation Team for AEA technology at Harwell.
Alison has participated in many multinational collaborative research projects and is a currently an Executive Board Member and Work Package Leader in EU collaborative project “NanoFASE” (Nanoparticle Fate and Speciation in the Environment). Throughout her career she has published over 100 articles, and has been a great supporter of the UKSAF community and has consistently encouraged and fostered young researcher in the field of surface analysis
Peter has made major contributions in fundamental and applied research in the field of surface science, particularly XPS, over the past 30 years. His work at NPL with Martin Seah included experimental and theoretical studies of elastic scattering, inelastic mean free paths and angle-resolved XPS leading to the development of the ‘Arctick’ software package and the infamous ‘Thickogram’. Peter became the youngest ever NPL Fellow in 2004. More recently, Peter re-established XPS at Newcastle University with the creation of the internationally acclaimed NEXUS facility which has conducted over 1200 projects in 6 years for academics throughout the UK, producing science of the highest quality. Many of these researchers were newcomers to surface techniques and Peter has succeeded in expanding the application of XPS and its user base and in raising the international profile of the UK significantly. Peter showed considerable vision by adopting massive Argon gas cluster ion beams for use with XPS depth profiling of organic and inorganic materials and made these two instruments available to the UK for the first time in 2011.
Further testimony to the impact of Peter’s work as Director of NEXUS was provided by Chuck Fadley in his letter of support for the NEXUS re-bid who stated “I would also add that NEXUS is in extremely capable hands under Professor Cumpson, whose work in surface analysis by XPS and Auger spectroscopies I often refer to for the gold standard in creativity, accuracy and objectivity.”
Peter is a dynamic and enthusiastic proponent of surface analysis with a wealth of ideas and is a fine role model for future generations.
In recent years Peter has expanded his technique base including the first combined XPS/Raman instrument, ToF-SIMS including MS-MS, ultra-high mass-resolution and water cluster ion beam capabilities, helium ion microscopy with 10nm spatial resolution SIMS and equipment to analyse the liquid/vacuum interface. All of this capability is available to the UK communities. Peter also developed a very fast computational method to facilitate principal component analysis of very large 3-D datasets, of the type routinely encountered in ToF-SIMS these days.
Despite his many achievements in surface analysis Peter has retained a great deal of modesty with his feet firmly on the ground. One could not hope to meet a more decent or honourable person and we believe him to be an eminently worthy recipient of the Rivière Prize for his outstanding individual contribution to surface and interface analysis.
1992: Dr Cedric Powell
The award for 1992 is made to Dr C J Powell of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (formerly the National Bureau of Standards) for his efforts in developing the Standards framework for surface analysis. The award for his scientific work in resolving the calculations on inelastic mean free paths, for his work in drafting many ASTM standards, for his work in galvanising and helping to steer the ASTM E-42 committee on surface analysis, and for his work on many international committees concerned with applied surface science and with standards.
1995: Prof Ulrik Gelius
The 1995 Rivière Prize of the UK ESCA Users group is awarded to Professor Ulrik Gelius for his part in the development of a new high class of spectrometer which brought high resolution/high intensity XPS to the commercial market place. The success of this project was a result of his unbounded enthusiasm and his determination that the benefits of such technology transfer would be available to electron spectroscopists everywhere. There cannot be a research group anywhere that undertakes polymer XPS who does not regard the seminal “High Resolution XPS of Organic Polymers” as their database of chemical shifts for this class of compounds. High resolution XPS is now available on most commercial XPS spectrometers. The impetus to the development of this branch of electron spectroscopy is a direct result of Ulrik Gelius and his team in producing a viable commercial spectrometer. It is for this that the next generation of electron spectroscopists will thank him for, and in recognition of this achievement that he is awarded the Rivière Prize.
1996: Dr David Briggs
The award for 1996 is made to Dr D Briggs of ICI for his pioneering work on the application of surface analysis and for his major editorial work to benefit users generally. This includes the establishment of the leading journal Surface and Interface Analysis, the publications of ECASIA proceedings, books and handbooks which are part of todays infrastructure in the field of surface and interface science.
1997: Prof Stephen Evans
2000: Prof Peter Weightman and Prof Martin Prutton
The award for 2000 is made to Professor P Weightman of the University of Liverpool for his pioneering work on the understanding of chemical and alloying effects on Auger electron peak structures and for his stimulation of the field of surface and interface analysis through the setting up and running of the Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Surface Science. Despite his many other commitments he has consistently and enthusiastically supported the efforts of the ESGAUG in promoting the applications of surface science and, in this award, his important contribution is acknowledged.
The award for 2000 is also made to Professor M Prutton of York University for his pioneering work on the understanding and application of Auger electron spectroscopy at high spatial resolution. This was largely based around the development of and interpretation of data from an instrument known by the acronym MULSAM. In this, he established the principles for a field emission Auger electron microscope, the importance of multi-detectors in order to understand the effects of topography and develop quantitative analysis, and the importance of mathematical methods to handle the large quantities of data to make them intuitively understandable to the analyst operator. The latter concepts catalysed developments in image analysis generally. In this award Professor Prutton's outstanding individual contribution to surface and interfacial studies is acknowledged.
2002: Dr Martin P Seah and Professor J E Castle
For some thirty years Martin Seah has kept watch over all of us who have attempted to use electron spectroscopy in a quantitative manner. Martin is one of those treasured physicists who carries out work with elegance and care and yet is able, also, to communicate the results of his work with eloquent simplicity. Through his highly relevant work, together with that of his like-minded team, we have been enabled to obtain portable results of known precision on calibrated spectrometers. Martin’s work has been published in more than two hundred quality publications yet throughout this period he has found the time to be available to the service of those concerned with application of surface science, founding the QSA series of meetings, the ECASIA series, and serving on the committee of the UKESCA Users Group throughout its lifetime. Martin plays a leading role, internationally, serving on ISO committees and numerous conference organising committees.
He is a most fitting recipient of the John Rivière Award 2002.
The John Rivière Award for 2002 is also made to Professor J E Castle of the University of Surrey for his pioneering work on the application of and for developing the understanding of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS). Professor Castle has made major contributions to the understanding of corrosion behaviour in metals, and has furthered this objective by a structured set of advances in the development of XPS as an analytical method. These advances include the development of simple clear rules to help practicing analysts make best use of all the information available in their spectral measurements. He has pioneered the use of Expert Systems to aid the analyst and organises conferences to increase the information transfer. Despite his many other commitments, he has consistently and enthusiastically supported the efforts of the ESCAUG and UKSAF in promoting the applications of surface science and, in this award, his important contribution is acknowledged.
2004 Professor J C Vickerman and Dr R K Wild
The award to Professor Vickerman is for his pioneering work on the application of and for developing the understanding of static secondary ion mass spectrometry as well as his leadership in setting up the SIMS Users Forum and promoting static SIMS in the UK. Professor Vickerman has provided the leadership to establish the UK as an important centre for static SIMS and has furthered this objective by a structured set of advances in the development of static SIMS as an analytical method. These advances include the recent developments of the polyatomic ion sources that will be of major importance for the growing work in the advanced technologies surrounding nano-biotechnology.
The award to Dr R K Wild is for his extensive contribution in applications of electron spectroscopies to a wide variety of important materials problems, for his assistance to the applied analyst, for his leadership of the UKESCA Users group in the 1990s and into the present century, and for his guidance and secretaryship of subcommittee 7 of ISO TC 201 on Surface Chemical Analysis which have all enabled the UK to maintain a major presence internationally and for UK analysts to have an effective support infrastructure. Despite their many other commitments, they have both consistently and enthusiastically supported the efforts of UKSAF, and its forerunners, in promoting the applications of surface science. In these awards, their important individual contributions are acknowledged.
2005: Dr Ian W Fletcher
The award for 2005 is made to Dr Ian W Fletcher of the ICI Measurement Science Group. The award is for his pioneering work at the leading edge of the applications of the two main surface chemistry based analytical methods, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and time of flight static secondary ion mass spectrometry (SSIMS). Ian's work is at the frontiers of analytical capability, pushing modern instruments to the limits. His foresight in continued investment in state-of-the-art analytical equipment including imaging XPS and high-resolution SSIMS using cluster ion beams has powered his group to provide industry with solutions in new emerging technologies. Ian's willingness to embrace new technologies and push forward their developments has placed him in the vanguard of today's surface analysts. Many would keep this knowledge to themselves – not Ian. He has contributed significantly to the literature and is a well-known speaker at conferences. Ian is an outstanding communicator sharing his enthusiasm and knowledge with the community as well as a leading promoter of surface analysis in industry in the UK and internationally. More recently Ian has become involved in the development of standards for static SIMS in ISO and this will be of major benefit to all surface analysts.
In this award Ian's outstanding individual contribution is acknowledged.
2006: Dr Mike Wells
Since the establishment of both ISO/TC 201 and BSI CII/60 Mike has provided the leadership of the BSI activity and also leadership of the UK delegation. Mike's tact and diplomacy during ISO meetings, encouraging delegates to act in certain ways and believe that it was their idea, his typically pragmatic British way of focussing minds on the essential components of the task in hand in order to move things forward to a meaningful and internationally acceptable completed product, has provided a particularly fertile ground. The UK has been particularly productive of ISO standards, generating about half of ISO/TC 201's output, and these ensure that UK analysts can make meaningful measurements that are acceptable internationally. Without Mike's guiding hand this would not have occurred.
2007: Dr Sven Tougaard
The award for 2007 is made to Professor Dr Sven Tougaard of the Physics Department at the University of Odensee, Denmark. There can be few surface scientists using electron spectroscopy who have not fitted a "Tougaard" background to their data. This background arises out of a very early recognition, by Professor Tougaard, that the spectral background that is usually discarded, actually contains the essential information that analysts need in order to determine the amounts of material present and the nano-morphology of samples in the outermost 10 nm at the surface. Professor Tougaard's contributions using this background then cover two essential aspects of nano-structures at surfaces. The first is the understanding of how to extract the nano-structure from XPS. The second is the use of that approach to track the evolution of nano-structures at surfaces in order to understand, better, aspects of reactions at surfaces, annealing of nano-structures and film behaviour.
Professor Tougaard provided a series of original approximations that reduced a very complex problem to a state where it could be expressed simply for the applied user. Furthermore, the approximation could be incorporated into robust and efficient software that users could obtain, either from him or others, and apply in their everyday analysis. Thus, analysts, in general, could use the data that they had already acquired in their survey scans to determine nano-morphologies.
In this award Sven's outstanding individual contribution is acknowledged.
2008: Professor Norman Brown
The award for 2008 is made to Professor Norman Brown, Emeritus Professor at the University of Ulster. Norman has had a distinguished academic career in surface chemistry and his work has advanced our understanding of the surface and interfacial properties of a range of important materials. His contributions to the development of thin film electroactive ceramics and to the surface modification of textiles by cold plasma processing are of particular note. A central theme to his work has been in providing solutions to challenging problems in both academia and industry. In this regard, Norman established the Surface Science Laboratory at the University of Ulster Coleraine Campus in the mid 1980’s and organised a series of very successful biennial Surface Analysis Colloquia in the 1990’s. Both of these initiatives provided academia and industry across the island of Ireland and beyond with access to a range of important analytical techniques. The current generation of the surface analysis resources introduced by Norman are central to the Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology programmes at Ulster and he is still actively involved in their application.
In this award Norman's major individual contribution is acknowledged.
2009: Dr Alan Carrick
The award for 2009 is made to Dr Alan Carrick of Acolyte Science. The award to Alan is for his continuing contribution to the infrastructure of the UK Surface Analysis community. For the past decade he has co-ordinated the triennial SAMS workshops which provide a strategy for formulation of the surface chemical analysis work undertaken within the UK’s National Measurement System. He has provided the secretaryship of subcommittee 3 of ISO TC 201 on Data Management and Treatment in Surface Chemical Analysis since 2002 and has enabled the UK to maintain a major presence in this international forum and through his work provided UK analysts with an effective support infrastructure. Despite his many other commitments, he has consistently and enthusiastically supported the efforts of UKSAF, and its forerunners, in promoting the applications of surface analysis and is ever-ready with his camera to capture moments like these for posterity. In this award, his important contributions to our community are acknowledged.
2010: Professor John Watts
The award for 2010 is made to Professor John Watts of the School of Engineering at the University of Surrey, UK. He has made major contributions in applied surface science since the 1970s and is well known for his work in material science for work on fundamental aspects of both adhesion and of the buried interface by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). An example of his researches includes work on non-toxic organosilane pretreatment for use in the aerospace bonding of aluminium to replace Cr(VI) pretreatments. Studies also concentrated on the development of a novel CuKa X-ray source for high energy XPS to study the electronic structure of metallic alloys of technological importance (such as high temperature blades) which provided important information for the design of new improved alloys. ToF-SIMS enabled the failure modes in coil coatings to be established and this has led to a formulation with improved product performance. He has published ~300 papers and 2 books. John is Editor-in-Chief of Surface and Interface Analysis and has played a central role in the organisation of international conferences relevant to UKSAF such as the ECASIA and SIMS series. In this award John’s outstanding individual contribution is acknowledged.
2011: Dr Donald Baer
The award for 2011 is made to Don Baer of the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, in the US. He has made major contributions in applied surface science since joining PNNL in 1976 and is well known for his surface and interfacial studies in material science covering fundamental aspects relating to the environment and, more recently, nanoscience using Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), X-ray and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS and UPS), secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS), nuclear reaction analysis (NRA), and particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE). Examples of his researches include work on adsorption of toxic waste on iron-based nanoparticles, quantum dots, oxidation, corrosion, stress corrosion and hydrogen embrittlement in steels and allied materials as well as leaching from glasses. He has published over 200 papers and has contributed to many books. He is Chair of ASTM E-42 committee on Surface Analysis, Secretary of ISO/TC 201/SC 1 on Terminology and is involved in organising many international conferences. He was the recipient of the 2009 Albert Nerken award of the American Vacuum Society. In this award Don's outstanding individual contribution to surface and interfacial studies is acknowledged.
2012: Dr Graham Smith
Presentation of the 2012 Riviére Prize to Dr. Graham Smith of Shell Global Solutions
It is unusual, but not without precedent, that this award is made to a serving member of the UKSAF Committee; the award for 2012 is made to Graham Smith of Shell Global Solutions for his continuing contribution to the Surface Analysis community. Graham has a long history of working for us in roles that do not normally attract attention or recognition. A former member of the Institute of Physics’ Thin Films and Surfaces Group Committee and the DTI’s Valid Analytical Methods Working Group he is presently a member of Newcastle University’s NEXUS Steering Committee as well as being a long standing member of the UKSAF committee. Graham has been a supporter of the UKSAF Young Scientist competition since its inception and has always encouraged younger members of his team to take part in the competition. Graham is involved in the application of surface analysis methodologies in an industrial environment producing very high quality work that for commercial reasons rarely appears in the open literature. It is for this largely unrecognised work, his activity in support of the community and the promotion of the interests of others that this award is made.
2013: Prof Ian S Gilmore
The award for 2013 is made to Professor Ian S Gilmore of the National Physical Laboratory (NPL). Ian’s research in surface analysis underpins the reliability and validity of many of today’s measurements in secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), including the effects of ion and electron beam damage, analyser detection efficiency, repeatability, reliable multivariate analysis, sputtering and ion emission by cluster ion beams and spectrum interpretation and identification using G-SIMS. In testament to the relevance of his work, his recommendations have been taken up by instrument manufacturers and routinely referred to by surface analysts. His vision has led to the formation of a National Centre of Excellence in Mass Spectrometry Imaging, which is raising the profile of surface analysis within the UK science base and is competing at the international level. He is a regular invited speaker at international conferences, has written numerous book chapters and co-edited the popular “Surface Analysis: The Principal Techniques” textbook. His recent work in the emerging area of ambient mass spectrometry has been outstanding and is characterised by his typical enthusiasm, vision, inclusiveness and leadership. Ian is instrumental in providing guidance and encouragement within standards organisations such as ISO, BSI and VAMAS as well as in the organisation of international meetings such as AVS, IUVSTA and The International SIMS Conference. In this award Ian's outstanding individual contribution to surface and interfacial studies is acknowledged.