The x-ray mass-attenuation coefficient of copper was measured at 108 energies between 5 and $20\mathrm{keV}$ using synchrotron radiation. The measurements are accurate to between 0.09 and 4.5 %, with most measurements being accurate to better than 0.12%. The imaginary component of the form factor of copper was also determined after subtracting the attenuation contribution due to scattering. Measurements were made over an extended range of experimental parameter space, allowing us to correct for several systematic errors present in the data. These results represent the most extensive and accurate dataset of their type for copper in the literature and include the important and widely studied region of the $K$-edge and x-ray absorption fine structure. The results are compared with current theoretical tabulations as well as previous experimental measurements and expose inadequacies in both.

• Received 11 September 2008

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.78.052902