ISO 17974:2002 specifies a method for calibrating the kinetic energy scales of Auger electron spectrometers used for elemental and chemical state analysis at surfaces. It also specifies a calibration schedule for testing the kinetic energy scale linearity at one intermediate energy, for confirming the uncertainty of the scale calibration at one low and one high kinetic energy value, for correcting for small drifts of that scale and defining the expanded uncertainty of the calibration of the kinetic energy scale for a confidence level of 95 % (with this uncertainty including contributions for behaviours observed in interlaboratory studies but not covering all possible defects).

It is applicable only to those instruments incorporating an ion gun for sputter cleaning. It is not applicable to instruments with kinetic energy scale errors significantly non-linear with energy, those operated at relative resolutions poorer than 0,2 % in the constant delta E/E mode or 1,5 eV in the constant delta E mode, those requiring tolerance limits of plus or minus 0,05 eV or less, nor those with an electron gun that cannot be operated in the energy range 5 keV to 10 keV. It does not provide a full calibration check for confirming the energy measured at each addressable point on the energy scale, this being performed according to the manufacturer's recommendations.