Iron (Fe) X-ray absorption edges

The Fe $K$ edge is at 7,112 $eV$ . The tables list 9 absorption edges for iron; $K$ , $L_{1}$ , $L_{2}$ and $L_{3}$ lie between 100 $eV$ and 100 $keV$ , the range the lab can scan.

Atomic number: $Z = 26$
Molar mass: 55.845 $g / mol$
Edges in the lab range: 4 of 9

Open iron in the lab

Both load iron as a pure sample with the formula $Fe$ . Density is retained from your current settings because these X-ray tables have no density. Enter your sample's density on the Sample page before planning a thickness. To scan another edge, use the links in the table below.

Absorption edges of iron

Energies, jump ratios and fluorescence yields as tabulated by Elam, Ravel and Sieber (2002). Scroll within the table to see every column.
Edge	Energy ( $eV$ )	Jump ratio	Fluorescence yield	In the lab
$K$	7,112	7.893	0.35098	ScanHard X-ray
$L_{1}$	844.6	1.1289	0.001	ScanSoft X-ray
$L_{2}$	719.9	1.4	0.0036	ScanSoft X-ray
$L_{3}$	706.8	3.099	0.0063	ScanSoft X-ray
$M_{1}$	91.3	1	0.0000028	Outside range
$M_{2}$	52.7	1	0.000016	Outside range
$M_{3}$	52.7	1	0	Outside range
$M_{4}$	2	1	0.0021937	Outside range
$M_{5}$	2	1	0	Outside range

Jump ratio is the photoabsorption just above the edge divided by the photoabsorption just below it. Fluorescence yield is the probability that a core hole in that shell decays by emitting an X-ray. Both are dimensionless. The lab can scan across edges strictly between 100 $eV$ and 100 $keV$ ; other edges are listed for reference. A listed edge with jump ratio 1 has no step for thickness planning.

Transmission, fluorescence or electron yield

$K$ is a hard X-ray edge in the lab's classification (2 $keV$ and above). The sample planner suggests transmission when the edge step is large enough relative to total attenuation. For a small step, as in a dilute absorber, it suggests fluorescence. Concentration alone does not decide the measurement mode.

$L_{1}$ , $L_{2}$ and $L_{3}$ are soft X-ray edges in the lab's classification (below 2 $keV$ ). Transmission generally needs thin films or membranes, so the planner suggests fluorescence or electron yield. The fluorescence yield at $L_{1}$ , $L_{2}$ and $L_{3}$ is below 0.05, where the lab suggests considering total electron yield.

These are planning rules of thumb. Sample thickness, self-absorption and the beamline's energy range and detectors still matter. The lab simulates transmission; it does not simulate fluorescence or electron-yield detector counts.

Sample presets containing iron

Hematite $F e_{2} O_{3}$ , 5.26 $g / cm^{3}$ , opens at the Fe $K$ edge
Lithium iron phosphate $LiFeP O_{4}$ , 3.6 $g / cm^{3}$ , opens at the Fe $K$ edge

These links load the preset's density and select iron as the absorber. Check the density source on the Sample page and adjust it for your sample.

Values from XrayDB 9.2 (Elam, Ravel and Sieber, 2002), released into the public domain. These isolated-atom tables do not include chemical shifts, XANES or EXAFS fine structure. Methods and data sources