Energy resolution for accurate measurements of the X-ray linear attenuation coefficient

At energies below 100 keV, measurements of the X-ray linear attenuation coefficient mu, require either a monoenergetic source or a detector with good energy resolution. The majority of X-ray sources contain a spread of energies whilst detectors have finite energy resolution. Beam hardening, arising from the preferential attenuation of lower energy X-rays, introduces systematic errors to mu measurements. These errors are examined for measurements with characteristic X-rays, and for poly-energetic sources in conjunction with energy dispersive detection. Industrial and medical applications are considered, at energies 5-110 keV for biological materials, aluminium, iron and copper. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.