Software

A common question for new GISAXS users is: "What software can I use to analyze my data?" Unfortunately, there is no single package that will allow you to perform any possible analysis. This is in part due to the diversity of possible kinds of data analysis one might want to do on GISAXS or GIWAXS images. The following lists a variety of packages that are available.

Data Viewing, Reduction, and Simple Analysis

These packages provide ways to view data, and perform simple operations (linecuts, etc.).

Geared towards 2D data

• Fit2D: A well-known package for treatment and conversion 2D scattering images.
  • Official site.
  • Fit2D primer.
  • Fit2D hints page.
• Datasqueeze: Graphical tool for analyzing 2D detector images.
  • Official site.
• ImageJ: A generic tool for image treatment and analysis. Can be used to open and process x-ray detector images.
  • Official site.
• view.gtk: A simple interface for viewing 2D data, calibrating your data into q-space, and extracting linecuts. Written by Lin Yang for the X9 beamline at NSLS. Installation requires (free) GTK libraries.
• pyXS: Python scripts (with C++ backend) for performing analysis of 2D data.
  • Official site.
• GIXSGUI: Visualization and reduction package for GISAXS. Requires the commerical Matlab software. Written by Zhang Jiang (APS).
  • Official site.
• GISAXSshop: 2D visualization and reduction for GISAXS. Requires the Igor (Wavemetrics). Written by Byeongdu Lee (APS).
  • Official site.

Geared towards 1D data

• NCNR SANS/USANS Package: Set of tools for reducing SANS and USANS data. Requires the commercial IgorPro software.
  • Citation: S.R. Kline "Reduction and Analysis of SANS and USANS Data using Igor Pro", J. Appl. Cryst. 2006, 39, 6, 895. doi:10.1107/S0021889806035059
• Nika: Conversion of 2D images into 1D for SAS. Requires commercial IgorPro software.
  • Official site.
• Indra 2: Reduction of USAXS data. Requires the commercial IgorPro software. Written for the 15ID instrument at APS.
  • Official site.
• DPDAK: Open-source Python tool for analyzing large sets of SAXS data. Works on Linux and Windows.
  • Official site.

Data Modeling and Fitting

These packages can predict scattering curves for various possible nano- or molecular- structures. Some of the packages allow fitting of experimental data.

SAXS

• NCNR SANS/USANS Package: Can model form factors for many common object shapes in solution. Requires the commercial IgorPro software.
  • Citation: S.R. Kline "Reduction and Analysis of SANS and USANS Data using Igor Pro", J. Appl. Cryst. 2006, 39, 6, 895. doi:10.1107/S0021889806035059
• Irena: Multiple tools for analyzing SAXS, SANS, USAXS, and USANS data. Allows modeling of diffuse scattering, form factors, reflectivity, etc. Requires the commercial IgorPro software.
  • Official site.
• Scatter: Targeted towards analysis of transmission-mode SAXS and SANS. Allows modeling of nano- and meso-structure materials (surfactants, lipids, micelles, vesicles, block-copolymers, etc.).
  • Citation: S. Förster, L. Apostol and W. Bras "Scatter: software for the analysis of nano- and mesoscale small-angle scattering", J. Appl. Cryst. 2010, 43, 639. doi: 10.1107/S0021889810008289
  • Official site.
• SASFit: Combined fitting of 1D scattering curves.
  • Official site.
• ATSAS: A suite of tools for small-angle scattering data of biological macromolecules.
  • Citation: P. V. Konarev, M. V. Petoukhov, V. V. Volkov and D. I. Svergun "ATSAS 2.1, a program package for small-angle scattering data analysis" J. Appl. Cryst. 2006, 39, 277. doi: 10.1107/S0021889806004699
  • Citation: M. V. Petoukhov, D. Franke, A. V. Shkumatov, G. Tria, A. G. Kikhney, M. Gajda, C. Gorba, H. D. T. Mertens, P. V. Konarev and D. I. Svergun "New developments in the ATSAS program package for small-angle scattering data analysis, J. Appl. Cryst. 2012, 45, 342, doi: 10.1107/S0021889812007662
  • Official site.
• BayesApp.org: Online tool for estimating distribution functions from SAS data.
  • Official site.
  • Citation: Hansen, Update for BayesApp: a web site for analysis of small-angle scattering data, J. Appl. Cryst. 2014 doi: 10.1107/S1600576714013156

GISAXS

• IsGISAXS: GISAXS analysis and simulation software. Enables prediction of 2D scattering patterns, including the effects of DWBA and its variants. Written by Rémi Lazzari.
  • Citation: R. Lazzari "IsGISAXS: a program for grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering analysis from supported islands", J. Appl. Cryst. 2002, 35, 406-421. doi: 10.1107/S0021889802006088
  • Official site.
• FitGISAXS: DWBA modeling. Requires commercial IgorPro software.
  • Official site.
• NANOCELL: Simulates 2D diffraction patterns from single-crystals for GISAXS/GISANS geometry
  • Official site.
  • Citation: Tate MP, Urade VN, Kowalski JD, Wei TC, Hamilton BD, Eggiman BW, Hillhouse HW Simulation and interpretation of 2D diffraction patterns from self-assembled nanostructured films at arbitrary angles of incidence: from grazing incidence (above the critical angle) to transmission perpendicular to the substrate J. Phys. Chem. B 2006, 110 (20), 9882–9892. doi: 10.1021/jp0566008
• BornAgain: Python/C++ implementation of DWBA modeling (similar to IsGISAXS, but more modern and with lots of extensions). Allows for polarized GISANS and GISAXS simulation and fitting. Available on Linux, MacOS and Windows. Written by the Scientific Computing Group at MLZ Garching.
  • Official site.
• HipGISAXS: A high-performance (massively parallel) C++ software for simulating GISAXS data.
  • Citation: S. Chourou, A. Sarje, X.S. Li, E. Chan, A. Hexemer, "HipGISAXS: A High Performance Computing Code for Simulating Grazing Incidence X-Ray Scattering Data" Journal of Applied Crystallography 2013, 46, 6, 1781-1795. doi: 10.1107/S0021889813025843
  • Citation: A. Sarje, X.S. Li, S. Chourou, E. Chan, A. Hexemer, "Massively Parallel X-ray Scattering Simulations" in Proceedings of the International Conference on High Performance Computing, Networking, Storage and Analysis (Supercomputing, SC'12), no. 46, pp. 46:1-46:11, November 2012.
  • Official site.

Reflectivity

• Reflfit: NIST software for fitting neutron (or x-ray) reflectivity curves.
  • Official site.
• Motofit: Co-refinement of multiple contrast reflectometry data (x-ray or neutron). Written by Andrew Nelson, ANSTO, Australia.
  • Citation: Nelson, A. "Co-refinement of multiple contrast neutron / X-ray reflectivity data using MOTOFIT." Journal of Applied Crystallography 2006, 39, 273-276. doi: 10.1107/S0021889806005073
  • Official site.
• Yanera: "Yet Another NEutron Reflectivity Analyzer", provides an open-source C++ implementation of the Parratt formalism. Written by Thad Harroun (Brock University), with contributions from Kevin Yager.
  • Official site.
• GA refl: Simultaneous fitting of x-ray and neutron polarized reflectometry data.
  • Official site.
• Simulreflec: Calculate reflectivity of magnetic multiplayer systems.
  • Official site.
• AFIT: Fitting of reflectometry data. (download)
• Parratt32: Windows GUI implementing the Parratt formalism. (link)
• Drydoc and Wetdoc: Multiple contrast data fitting. (link)
• Surface: Analysis of specular reflectivity. (link)
• Polly: Polarized neutron reflectometry. (link)
• Superfit: Specular and diffuse neutron reflectivity. (link)

Computing Materials Properties

• X-Ray Interactions With Matter: CXRO/LBL web-portal with various calculators for x-ray interaction parameters.
  • Official site.
• NCNR: NIST Center for Neutron Research web-based calculator for Neutron Scattering Length Density and Absorption.
  • Official site.
• pyFPRIME and ABSORB: APS software for computing approximate x-ray scattering cross sections.
  • Official site.

See Also

• SAS Portal Software List