Resonant soft X‐ray scattering (RSOXS) has become a premier probe to study complex three‐dimensional nanostructures in soft matter through combining the robust structural characterization of small‐angle scattering with the chemical sensitivity of spectroscopy. This technique borrows many of its analysis methods from alternative small‐angle scattering measurements that utilize contrast variation, but thus far RSOXS has been unable to reliably achieve an absolute scattering intensity required for quantitative analysis of domain compositions, volume fraction, or interfacial structure. Here, a novel technique to calibrate RSOXS to an absolute intensity at the carbon absorption edge is introduced. It is shown that the X‐ray fluorescence from a thin polymer film can be utilized as an angle‐independent scattering standard. Verification of absolute intensity is then accomplished through measuring the Flory–Huggins interaction parameter in a phase‐mixed polymer melt. The necessary steps for users to reproduce this intensity calibration in their own experiments to improve the scientific output from RSOXS measurements are discussed.

中文翻译：

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碳边软X射线散射的绝对强度校准

共振软X射线散射（RSOXS）通过将小角度散射的稳健结构表征与光谱学的化学敏感性相结合，已成为研究软物质中复杂的三维纳米结构的首选探针。该技术从利用对比度变化的替代性小角度散射测量中借鉴了许多分析方法，但迄今为止，RSOXS仍无法可靠地实现定量分析域组成，体积分数或界面结构所需的绝对散射强度。在这里，介绍了一种在碳吸收边缘将RSOXS校准到绝对强度的新技术。结果表明，来自聚合物薄膜的X射线荧光可以用作与角度无关的散射标准。然后，通过测量相混合的聚合物熔体中的Flory-Huggins相互作用参数来完成绝对强度的验证。讨论了用户在自己的实验中重现此强度校准的必要步骤，以改善RSOXS测量的科学输出。