小中大For SEM, the geometery is "less" affected because usually the SEM detector is put very close to the sample so unless the sample geometry is huge otherwise it should be relatively less affected by geometry in a way not able to see some elements on the samples.
For XPS, usually analyzer is SCA. And it needs to travel through it to make the detection of electrons hence making the spectra > then next making the XPS map. Due to this, geometry of sample could be critical as easily it can result in what so-called as "shadowing" effect.
