TEN CHECKS BEFORE YOU TRUST A NUMBER From "Mastering XRR Fitting", Chapter 25. Ask these of every fitted number (a thickness, a period, a sigma, a density) before you use it. [ ] 1. Does the curve carry this number? A feature of the curve must move when the number changes. Look: Data > Assess XRR quality ...; the sensitivity map. Ch 10, 13 [ ] 2. Were the data and the settings set for this curve? 2theta or theta; Normalize (Auto); no smoothing; the range from theta_max; R min; Delta-theta from a scan of this curve. Ch 14, 16 [ ] 3. Is the scale inside its window? Look: Chart Info bar, scale box. "at bound" = no: check the end of the range, then the model. Ch 14 [ ] 4. Does the fit pass its checks? Look: Result > Fit report ... Orders, edge, eight bands, chi2 last. A fail is reported with its cause. Ch 18 [ ] 5. Is the model complete? No sigma far larger than its neighbors, no density on a limit standing in for a missing layer. Both modes fitted; the mode chosen on the drift. Ch 17, 19 [ ] 6. Is the number clear of its limits? Look: Fitting Limits dialog, yellow cells. Widen and fit again until no run ends near a limit. Ch 15 [ ] 7. Do five runs agree on it? Spread over five runs smaller than the precision you claim, or report "undetermined". Report the best run, never a mean. Ch 16, 18 [ ] 8. Does the curve fix this number, or only a sum? Sums of layers that trade thickness; sigma as fitted; per-period values of a profile; a film's thickness only. Ch 18, 21, 22 [ ] 9. Is it a density? Then it is a "free parameter, not a result". Ch 20 [ ] 10. Is it written down with its settings? Result > Export fit results... right after the fit; the Fit report text; the project saved; the 22 report items. Ch 23