The analysis of x-ray absorption fine structure: beam-line independent interpretation

Can current experimental techniques and analytical procedures produce x-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) which is independent of the beam line or synchrotron used? We investigate the consequence upon XAFS interpretation of typical systematic errors, including determination of the edge energy, detector response and synchrotron bandwidth. Using the highest accuracy data set of the mass-attenuation coefficient collected so far, we consider a series of systematic effects in the analyses of both the near-edge and extended energy regions of the spectrum. We investigate whether conclusions derived from an experiment using a given analytical procedure are consistent when performed on different synchrotron beam lines. We find that the effectiveness of common XAFS analysis is limited by experimental and data reduction techniques, particularly relating to determinations of photon energy. By correcting for all major systematic errors in XAFS data, one can determine bond lengths more robustly and with greater accuracy.