We have developed a submicron-area high energy resolution photoelectron spectroscopy system equipped with a multilayer-coated Schwarzschild objective for forming a soft x-ray microbeam. We show the photoelectron microspectroscopy results of the cross section of a semiconductor double heterostructure sample, namely an epitaxial film [InP (50 nm thick)/In0.53Ga0.47As (2.3 mu m thick)/InP (100) substrate] grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. The core-level photoelectron spectra were obtained from the cross section of the cleaved sample. The As 3d, Ga 3d, and In 4d peaks were observed in the In0.53Ga0.47As region. In the InP region, the As 3d and Ga 3d peaks were not observed, and only the In 4d peak was. This result corresponds to the structure observed by cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy. Moreover, we observed an irradiation effect that was caused by the microbeam. These results suggest that this photoelectron microspectroscopy system is a powerful tool for studying chemical and electronic states of submicron-area surfaces.