How to cite PikaXPS

If PikaXPS helped your research, please mention it — it’s how a free academic tool justifies its continued development.

The simplest way — one line in your Methods

Just name it where you describe the analysis. For example:

XPS spectra were analyzed (peak-fitted) using PikaXPS (https://github.com/contact993/pikaxps).

or

Peak fitting and quantification were performed with PikaXPS.

For most journals, a one-sentence mention in the Methods / Experimental section plus the URL is a complete and valid software citation — nothing more is needed.

Two ways to support this free, no-ads tool

⭐ Star PikaXPS on GitHub and name it in your Methods. Both are free, take seconds, and are what keep a no-ads academic tool funded and maintained.

Formal reference (optional)

If your journal wants a full entry in the reference list, a peer-reviewed software paper with a DOI is in preparation; until it appears, cite the repository and the version you used:

@software{pikaxps,
  author  = {Pika},
  title   = {PikaXPS: free cross-platform XPS peak fitting with a built-in fit auditor},
  year    = {2026},
  url     = {https://github.com/contact993/pikaxps},
  version = {0.1.4}
}

The repository also ships a CITATION.cff, so GitHub’s “Cite this repository” button always gives the current version.

Reference-data sources

The bundled binding-energy values are literature references; please also cite the original sources where appropriate: M. C. Biesinger et al. (Appl. Surf. Sci. 2010/2011; Surf. Interface Anal. 2009); J. F. Moulder et al., Handbook of XPS (1992); NIST XPS Database SRD 20; J. H. Scofield (1976) for RSFs.