Poly(l-lysine)-g-poly(ethylene glycol) (PLL-g-PEG) is a member of a family of polycationic PEG-grafted copolymers that have been shown to chemisorb on anionic surfaces, including various metal oxide surfaces, providing a high degree of resistance to protein adsorption. PLL-g-PEG-modified surfaces are attractive for a variety of applications including sensor chips for bioaffinity assays and blood-contacting biomedical devices. The analytical and structural properties of PLL-g-PEG adlayers on niobium oxide (Nb2O5), tantalum oxide (Ta2O5), and titanium oxide (TiO2) surfaces were investigated using reflection−absorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIRS), angle-dependent X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). The combined analytical information provides clear evidence for an architecture with the cationic poly(l-lysine) attached electrostatically to the oxide surfaces (charged negatively at physiological pH) and the poly(ethylene oxide) side chains ex...