Title: matrix factor
Long Title: IUPAC Gold Book - matrix factor
DOI: 10.1351/goldbook.09263
Status: current

Definition
Factors, arising from the composition of the matrix, for multiplying the quotient of the measured intensity and the appropriate sensitivity factor in formulae to determine the composition using surface analytical techniques.

Note
In methods such as Auger electron spectroscopy, the matrix factor is determined in part by the composition of the sub-surface material and in part by the composition of the analysis volume in the sample.

Related Term
- Auger electron spectroscopy: https://goldbook.iupac.org//terms/view/09172

Source
- PAC, 2020, 92, 1781. 'Glossary of methods and terms used in surface chemical analysis (IUPAC Recommendations 2020)' on page 1807 (https://doi.org/10.1515/pac-2019-0404)

Other Outputs
- html: https://goldbook.iupac.org/terms/view/09263/html
- json: https://goldbook.iupac.org/terms/view/09263/json
- xml: https://goldbook.iupac.org/terms/view/09263/xml

Citation: Citation: 'matrix factor' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. 10.1351/goldbook.09263
License: The IUPAC Gold Book is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike CC BY-SA 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) for individual terms.
Collection: If you are interested in licensing the Gold Book for commercial use, please contact the IUPAC Executive Director at executivedirector@iupac.org .
Disclaimer: The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) is continuously reviewing and, where needed, updating terms in the Compendium of Chemical Terminology (the IUPAC Gold Book). Users of these terms are encouraged to include the version of a term with its use and to check regularly for updates to term definitions that you are using.
Accessed: 2026-05-18T00:34:37+00:00