Abstract
The relative position of the K-absorption edge of Mn and Fe in different chemical states has been measured using an improved version of a single-crystal high-angle goniometer. Six different compounds of Mn and seven different compounds of Fe were measured and compared. Using the HFS model, the binding energies of the 1s electron in Mn and in Fe were calculated for the neutral and the ionised atoms. The structures on the high-energy side of the K-absorption edge were observed, and some of the studied absorption edges were found to be not the usual smooth arctangent functions.