The knowledge of atomic fundamental parameters such as mass attenuation coecients with low uncertainties, is of decisive importance in elemental quantication using X-ray uorescence analysis techniques. Several databases are accessible and frequently used within a large community of users. These compilations are most often in good agreement for photon energies in the hard X-ray ranges. However, they signicantly dier for low photon energies and around the absorption edges of any element. In a joint cooperation of the metrology institutes of France and Germany, mass attenuation coecients of copper and zinc were determined experimentally in the photon energy range from 100 eV to 30 keV by independent approaches using monochromatized synchrotron radiation at SOLEIL (France) and BESSY II (Germany), respectively. The application of high-accuracy experimental techniques resulted in mass attenuation coecient datasets determined with low uncertainties that are directly compared to existing databases. The novel datasets are expected to enhance the reliability of mass attenuation coecients.

No abstract

High resolution gamma-ray spectrometry is a well-established metrological technique that can be applied to a large number of photon-emitting radionuclides, activity levels and sample shapes and compositions. Three kinds of quantitative information can be derived using this technique: detection efficiency calibration, radionuclide activity and photon emission intensities. In contrast to other radionuclide measurement techniques gamma-ray spectrometry provides unambiguous identification of gamma-ray emitting radionuclides in addition to activity values. This extra information comes at a cost of increased complexity and inherently higher uncertainties when compared with other secondary techniques. The relative combined standard uncertainty associated with any result obtained by gamma-ray spectrometry depends not only on the uncertainties of the main input parameters but also on different correction factors. To reduce the uncertainties, the experimental conditions must be optimized in terms of the signal processing electronics and the physical parameters of the measured sample should be accurately characterized. Measurement results and detailed examination of the associated uncertainties are presented with a specific focus on the efficiency calibration, peak area determination and correction factors. It must be noted that some of the input values used in quantitative analysis calculation can be correlated, which should be taken into account in fitting procedures or calculation of the uncertainties associated with quantitative results. It is shown that relative combined standard uncertainties are rarely lower than 1% in gamma-ray spectrometry measurements.