Area normalization of HERFD‐XANES spectra

The normalization of X‐ray absorption near‐edge structure (XANES) spectra is required for comparing spectral features and extracting quantitative information in analytical techniques such as linear combination analysis, principal component analysis and multivariate curve resolution. Most published data are normalized to the edge‐jump, but normalization to the spectral area has also been applied. The latter is particularly attractive if only a small energy range around the absorption can be recorded reliably. Here, the two normalization methods are compared at the L3‐edge of Pt, Pd and Rh, and at the Ni K‐edge using experimental and calculated spectra. Normalization to the spectral area is found to be a viable approach if the range for the area normalization is sufficiently large. Normalization of XANES data to the spectral area is shown to be a viable normalization method with an error of a few percent as evaluated by comparison with calculated spectra and spectra normalized to the edge‐jump.