Measurement of the x-ray mass attenuation coefficient of copper using 8.85–20 keV synchrotron radiation

Abstract

This work presents the x-ray extended range technique for measuring x-ray mass attenuation coefficients. This technique includes the use of multiple foil attenuators at each energy investigated, allowing independent tests of detector linearity and of the harmonic contributions to the monochromated synchrotron beam. Measurements over a wide energy range allow the uncertainty of local foil thickness to be minimized by the calibration of thin sample measurements to those of thick samples. The use of an extended criterion for sample thickness selection allows direct determination of dominant systematics, with an improvement of accuracies compared to previous measurements by up to factors of 20. ..