X-Ray Fluorescence Downloads

This page is a repository for important x-ray fluorescence (XRF) files and documents associated with NIST XRF activities.  The historic codes are good examples of the type of information kept here. These files are offered for free download and unrestricted distribution. There is no support available for the Fortran codes.

Historic Codes

NRLXRF and NBSGSC were pioneering works in the computerization of fundamental parameter and influence coefficient methods. Users must compile the codes for their platforms, which may involve some modification of the codes. One known problem is that NRLXRF uses ENCODE/DECODE commands that are not supported by all compilers.

• NRLXRF: This is the final version made available to COSMIC with all known updates as of 01/01/02. Modifications include a subroutine called FILIO added by NRL to facilitate data entry. The zipped file contains:  NRLXRF, FILIO, and example input and output files.
• NRLXRF Manual (7 megabyte PDF)
• NRLXRF Users' Guide - 15-page users' guide dated July 1977
• Additional files: NRL/MR/6175-01-R8577 - Bibliography of XRF works on X-Ray Fluorescence by Birks, Brown, Criss, Friedman, and Gilfrich
• NBSGSC: This is the original version of NBSGSC found in NBS Technical Note 1213, which is also available for download (9 megabyte PDF)
• The zipped file contains: NBSGSC, the original and updated versions as of December 1985, plus additional files: CALCO1 - the original version with Update 1 corrections; CALCO2 - the Update 1 version with Update 2 corrections; CALCOMP2 - the original version with Update 2 corrections

Fundamental Parameters Database

A few years ago, W.T. Elam spent some sabbatical time at NIST. One of the accomplishments was a new compilation of fundamental parameters described in W.T. Elam, B.D. Ravel and J.R. Sieber, Radiation Physics and Chemistry, 63 (2), 121 (2002). "A new atomic database for X-ray spectroscopic calculations". The authors have not tested this compilation. However, it has been requested by dozens of researchers and is already incorporated into several experimental FP programs. Download the Elam FP compilation here. [WinZip File]

NIST has additional fundamental parameter information available through the Physics Laboratory Physical Reference Data web site:  http://physics.nist.gov/cuu/index.html.

• XRFFPbiblio is an incomplete bibliography of papers related to fundamental parameters and interelement methods. It was compiled by a small task group led by John Criss and contains mostly classical (old) references.
• NIST SP 829 Use of NIST Standard Reference Materials for Decisions on Performance of Analytical Chemical Methods and Laboratories.
• NIST TN 1297 Guidelines for Evaluating and Expressing the Uncertainty of NIST Measurement Results.