How to: GeoPIXE: Set up and/or modify a .cuts file

A .cuts file tells GeoPIXE to ignore the fitting in a certain region or regions in your spectrum. This can be useful for ignoring the fit of scattering peaks that won't affect your overall quantitative fit.

A .cuts file is different from a .throttle file. A .cuts file influences what regions to fit. On the other hand, a .throttle file influences how many photons to save in areas of the spectrum where the signal is particularly strong.

Video

Steps (condensed)

1. Load or import the spectra of interest in the GeoPIXE Spectrum Display window.

2. Go to Window > cuts setup. This will open a new window titled Cuts Setup, and should change the drop-down menu under the Spectrum display to “Cut 0,1”

3. Set the high and low energy cursors around the section that you want to “cut” out of the data fitting process. Press the Sigma button. This will populate the Cuts Setup window with information about your selection.

4. Save the cuts setup to a .cuts file using the save button at the bottom of the Cuts Setup window. It’s nice to put this in the setup folder of your project, and to label it with the energy range you are cutting out in the filename.

5. To apply the cuts file to your fitting procedure, go to the “Advanced-General” tab in the X-ray Spectrum Fit window and press Load to load your file.

-- LMS - 17 Mar 2016