X unit 2026-10-18
The historical X unit was a practical X-ray wavelength unit, approximately . Its scale used an assigned calcite spacing; relative wavelength measurements could be more precise than absolute determinations. Variation between crystal specimens led to calibration using reference spectral lines. An X unit value therefore cannot simply be read as an exact multiple of .[ref]
An angular-scale check determines how an indicated rotation corresponds to an angle. A reference line transfers a wavelength scale. An absolute determination ties that scale to an independently established length standard. These are different calibration tasks. Repeating measurements can reduce random scatter without correcting the common scale: if every inferred is too large by a chosen , all inferred absolute wavelengths are too large by , while ratios using that same are unchanged.