Difference between revisions of "Absorption length"
KevinYager (talk | contribs)  (Created page with "The '''absorption length''' or '''attenuation length''' in x-ray scattering is the distance over which the x-ray beam is absorbed. By convention, the absorption length...")  | 
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The absorption follows a simple [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beer%27s_Law Beer-Lambert law]:  | The absorption follows a simple [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beer%27s_Law Beer-Lambert law]:  | ||
:<math>  | :<math>  | ||
| − | \frac{I(x)}{I_0} = e^{ -  x / \  | + | \frac{I(x)}{I_0} = e^{ -  x / \epsilon }  | 
</math>  | </math>  | ||
| + | The '''attenuation coefficient''' (or '''absorption coefficient''') is simply the inverse of the absorption length; <math>\mu = 1/  | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Calculating==  | ||
| + | The absorption length arises from the imaginary part of the [[atomic scattering factor]], ''f''<sub>2</sub>. It is closely related to the absorption cross-section, and the mass absorption coefficient. Specifically, the '''atomic photoabsorption cross-section''' can be computed via:  | ||
| + | :<math>  | ||
| + | \sigma = 2 r_e \lambda  | ||
| + | </math>  | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==See Also==  | ||
| + | * [http://henke.lbl.gov/optical_constants/atten2.html X-Ray Attenuation Length calculator]  | ||
| + | * [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_attenuation_coefficient Wikipedia: Mass attenuation coefficient]  | ||
| + | * [http://www.nist.gov/pml/data/xraycoef/ NIST tables of x-ray mass attenuation coefficient]  | ||
Revision as of 13:31, 6 June 2014
The absorption length or attenuation length in x-ray scattering is the distance over which the x-ray beam is absorbed. By convention, the absorption length λ is defined as the distance into a material where the beam flux has dropped to 1/e of its incident flux.
Absorption
The absorption follows a simple Beer-Lambert law:
The attenuation coefficient (or absorption coefficient) is simply the inverse of the absorption length;