I analyzed XPS using copper and alumina containing samples and the results showed copper had two peaks of Cu 2p 3/2 and Cu 2p 1/2 due to the Spin-Orbit Splitting but Al didn't. Why did this occur?
The splitting of the Al 2p doublet is lower than the resolution f the Al Ka X-ray source. Then, Al 2p appears as a unique peak where are the unresolved Al 2p3/2 and Al 2p1/2 peaks.
It is really a matter of resolution to observe the spin orbit splitting. For monochromatized AlKa radiation you can observe the splitting for very clean Al. Normally Al films tend to oxidize very easily, so you have a convolution of surface oxide and bulk Al. For XPS exited with synchrotron radiation the resolution is far better. The same is by the way true for Si 2p.
I enclosed the Al 2p spectrum taken with 95eV synchrotron radiation
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