The Difficult Chore of Measuring Coordination by EXAFS

Neither the theory nor the interpretation of Extended X‐Ray‐Absorption Fine‐Structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy requires assumptions of crystalline symmetry or periodicity. As a result, EXAFS is a tool applied to a wide range of scientific disciplines and to a wide variety of experimental systems. A simple enumeration of the atoms in the coordination environment of the absorber is often the primary goal of an EXAFS experiment. There are, however, a number of pitfalls in the way of an accurate determination of coordination number (CN). These include statistical limitations of the EXAFS fitting problem, empirical effects due to sample preparation, and the assumptions made about the physical structure surrounding the absorber in the course of data analysis. In this paper we examine several of these pitfalls and their effects upon the determination of CN. Where possible, we offer suggestions for avoiding or mitigating the pitfalls. We hope this paper will help guide the general EXAFS practitioner through the difficult chore of accurately determining CN.