title: Quantitative evaluation of statistical errors in small-angle X-ray scattering measurements.
abstract: A new model is proposed for the measurement errors incurred in typical small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) experiments, which takes into account the setup geometry and physics of the measurement process. The model accurately captures the experimentally determined errors from a large range of synchrotron and in-house anode-based measurements. Its most general formulation gives for the variance of the buffer-subtracted SAXS intensity σ2(q) = [I(q) + const.]/(kq), whereI(q) is the scattering intensity as a function of the momentum transferq;kand const. are fitting parameters that are characteristic of the experimental setup. The model gives a concrete procedure for calculating realistic measurement errors for simulated SAXS profiles. In addition, the results provide guidelines for optimizing SAXS measurements, which are in line with established procedures for SAXS experiments, and enable a quantitative evaluation of measurement errors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Nanosystems Initiative Munich, and Center for NanoScience, LMU Munich , Amalienstrasse 54, Munich, 80799, Germany.
authors.forename: Steffen M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Sedlak
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Nanosystems Initiative Munich, and Center for NanoScience, LMU Munich , Amalienstrasse 54, Munich, 80799, Germany.
authors.forename: Linda K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Bruetzel
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Nanosystems Initiative Munich, and Center for NanoScience, LMU Munich , Amalienstrasse 54, Munich, 80799, Germany.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lipfert
keywords: SAXS; hybrid pixel detectors; measurement errors; scattering profiles; simulations; small-angle X-ray scattering