X-ray Calculator Excel

Requires Excel 2013 or better. It was tested running Windows-10. I don't know if it will work on a Mac.

Home

The NIST_XCOM.xlam Add-In and NIST_XCOM.xlsm Workbook provide functions and macros for getting the attenuation properties of atoms and compounds.

LazzyIzzi is not currently associated with NIST but was a guest researcher there many years ago. These Excel files are not a NIST product but most of the data within them were downloaded from the NIST XCOM database and are used with permission. It should be noted that NIST retains copyright on the XCOM data and reserves the right to charge for its use in the future. See the XCOM website for more information.

XLAM or XLSM, which one is better for you? Do not install XLAM if you are using XLSM.

• Use the Add-In xlam file to make the functions and macros part of your Excel application.
  • Pro: The X-ray functionality will be available in all workbooks created after the Add-In is installed
  • Con: Dependent workbooks will not work if the Add-In is not present or has been uninstalled.
• Use the Workbook xlsm file to use the functions and macros without altering your Excel environment.
  • Pro: The X-ray functionality will always be present in individual workbooks created by copying the xlsm.
  • Con: Each copy will duplicate all of the NIST data and will require more storage.

Add-In Functionality

• GetSpectrum - Lists and optionally plots the tabulated NIST mass absorption coefficients vs X-ray energy.
• BeamHardening - Uses a 1D model to estimate/optimize a CT scanner setup that will produce an acceptable level of beam hardening.
• Show Data Sheets - Unhides the NIST data, one sheet per element, about 100 sheets total.
• Hide Data Sheets -Unshows the NIST data.
• Help- Brings up this page. Requires an internet connection.

• GetAtomAbsEdgeJump(AtomSymbol,Edge,AttnType)
• GetAtomAbsEdgeMev(AtomSymbol,Edge)
• GetAtomGmPerCC(AtomSymbol)
• GetAtomGmPerMol(AtomSymbol)
• GetAtomicNum(AtomSymbol)
• GetAtomMuMass(AtomSymbol,MeV,AttnType)
• GetAtomName(AtomSymbol)
• GetAtomRadiusPm(AtomSymbol)
• GetFormulaGmPerMol(Formula)
• GetFormulaMeVfromMuLin(Formula,MuLin,gmPerCC)
• GetFormulaMuMass(Formula,MeV,AttnType)
• GetAtomEmission(AtomSymbol,Line,Unit)
• MuLin_To_MolPerM3(MuLin,MuMass,gmPerMol)
• GetFormulaMeVfromMuLinRatio(Formula1,MuLin1,gmPerCC1,Formula2,MuLin2,gmPerCC2)
• Spectrum_Kramers(KV,mA,Anode,keV)

• Atom Symbols = H, He, Cu etc.
• Formula = Atom1:Count1:Atom2:Count2... e.g. Ca:1:C:1:O:3 for CaCO₃, Calcite
• Edge = K, L1, L2, L3, M1, M2, M3,M4, M5, N1, N2, N3, N4, N5.
• AttnType = Coh, Incoh, PE, PrProdN, PrProdE, TotAttn
• Line = Ka1, Ka2, Kb1, La1, La2, Lb1, Lb2, Lg1, Ma1
• Unit = eV, keV, MeV, Angstroms.

Add-In(xlam) Installation:

Adding NIST_XCOM.xlam macros to the Excel "Home" toolbar
Do NOT do the steps below if you are using NIST_XCOM.XLSM

Download NIST_XCOM.xlam 
Install the NIST_XCOM in the default Add-ins Folder, in Windows it's usually C:\Users\YourUserName\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\AddIns.
Run the macros from the Developer tab "Macros" ribbon item.

To make the Macros visible in the Home tab Ribbon... The usual intuitive Microsoft 25 step process

1. To add "Developer" to the main toolbar
1. Click "File" in the main menu
2. Click "Options" at the bottom left
3. Click "Customize Ribbon"
4. Check the "Developer" box
5. Click OK
2. To add NIST_XCOM to the project references
1. Click the new "Developer" tab in the main menu
2. Click "Excel To add-ins"
3. Check the NIST_XCOM Reference
4. Click OK
3. To add "BeamHardening" and "GetSpectrum" Macros to main "Home" ribbon
1. Click "File" in the main menu
2. Click "Options" at the bottom left
3. Click "Customize Ribbon"
4. In the "Customize the Ribbon" menu select "Main Tabs"
5. Click the twisty next to "Home"
6. Click the "New Group" button
7. Click the "Rename" button
8. Enter "X-ray" in the "Display Name" box
9. Click OK
10. Click(select) "X-ray (Custom)" in the "Home" list
11. In the "Choose commands from" menu, select "Macros"
12. Select "BeamHardeningMacro"
13. Click "To add"
14. Select "GetSpectrumMacro"
15. Click "To add"
16. Click OK
4. Uninstall NIST_XCOM in the project references
1. Click the "Developer" tab in the main menu
2. Click "Excel To add-ins"
3. Uncheck the NIST_XCOM Reference
4. Click OK

1. Click on the Home tab
2. Click on either BeamHardeningMacro or GetSpectrumMacro in the Ribbon to load the macros.
3. Click OK on the security warnings.

Workbook(xlsm) Installation:

• Download it and open it in Excel
• Click the Enable Content button. A menu dialog box should appear.

Using the Functions

To use the functions, Select an output cell(s), Click the FORMULAS tab and then click the Insert Function icon. Fill in the required data and click OK.

Excel Array Functions (older versions of Excel)

GetFormualMevFromMuLin and GetFormualMevFromMuLinRatio functions return arrays. This is noted in their input dialogs. Select at least two contiguous row cells for output before calling the function. Do Not click OK in the function dialog. Use Ctrl-Shift-Enter to execute the function. The first value returned is the number of solutions. The contiguous row cells should be the number of solutions + 1.

Using the Macros

Click the ADD-INS tab(xlam) or use the Menu(xlsm) and click GetSpectrum or BeamHardening.

Get Spectrum

Use the radio buttons to select Atom or Formula

Get Spectrum returns a list of absorption cross-section data for atoms or formulas over a selected energy range.

The atoms can be listed by Symbol, Number, or Name. I prefer Name.

Formulas are entered manually using an Atom1:Count1:Atom2:Count2 formatted Formula

1. Check the desired cross-sections
2. Enter the desired energy range Min and Max
3. Select the number of interpolated points to add to the output. This will create a separate list of N approximately log-spaced points in the selected range.
4. Check Plot Spectrum if desired

Beam Hardening

Please refer to the ImageJ Scanner_Setup page for a description of how this Macro works.

1. Select BeamHardening from the Command Menu.
2. Edit the Source, Sample, Detector, and Plot Range fields.
3. Click Update Plot. The effective energy, sample tau, BeamHardening %, and photon efficiency % appear in the plot title.
4. Twiddle the parameters to optimize the beam hardening and photon efficiency.
5. OR enter the level of tolerable beam hardening in the Target BH% field and click Optimize to let the Solver maximize Photon Use% while constraining sample tau and beam hardening. Note: Increase the default 1 KeV plot increment to 5 KeV to speed up the solver.

Home