Header Groups

The DAQ software for DECTRIS EIGER detectors writes information (header, data) into a number of groups, all of which comply with the NeXus standard. The compilation below represents the state of the EIGER API version 1.5.

You may also download a PDF file documenting the header data written by the API (up to version 1.3).

Data

HDF5 path: /entry/data/
NX_class = NXdata

NeXus NameNeXus Data TypeDescription
data_000001NX_UINT32[n,i,j]Link to data file
data_000002NX_UINT32[n,i,j]Link to data file
...NX_UINT32[n,i,j]Link to data files
data_nnnnnnNX_UINT32[n,i,j]Link to data file

NXdetector

HDF5 path: /entry/instrument/detector/
NX_class = NXdetector

NeXus NameNeXus Data TypeDescriptionUnit
beam_center_xNX_FLOAT32
Beam center in x in pixels. This is necessary for efficiency correction. Default value: beam_center_x = 0.5 * x_pixels_in_detector
beam_center_yNX_FLOAT32Beam center in y in pixels. This is necessary for efficiency correction. Default value: beam_center_y = 0.5 * y_pixels_in_detector
bit_depth_readoutNX_UINT32Bit depth of the internal readout
bit_depth_imageNX_UINT32Bit depth of generated images
count_timeNX_FLOAT32Exposure time per image, time during which detector counts X-rayss
countrate_correction_appliedNX_BOOLEANApplication of rate correction
descriptionNX_CHARInformation on detector type, model
detector_distanceNX_FLOAT32Distance to detectorm
detector_number
NX_CHAR
Detector serial number
detector_readout_timeNX_FLOAT32Readout time of the detector for non-continuous readout (PILATUS) or dead time of continuous readout (EIGER). This defines the minimum time after which the detector can count again and acquire the next frame.s
efficiency_correction_appliedNX_BOOLEANApplication of sensor efficiency correction
flatfield_correction_appliedNX_BOOLEANApplication of flatfield correction
frame_timeNX_FLOAT32Time interval between start of image acquisitions. This defines the speed of data collection and is inversely proportional to frame rate, the frequency of image acquisition. This parameter is recorded as "exposure_period" for PILATUS.s
pixel_mask_appliedNX_BOOLEANApplication of pixel mask to data
sensor_materialNX_CHARSensor material, e.g. Si
sensor_thicknessNX_FLOAT32Thickness of the sensorm
threshold_energyNX_FLOAT32Threshold energy of the detectoreV
virtual_pixel_correction_appliedNX_BOOLEANApplication of virtual pixel correction
x_pixel_sizeNX_FLOAT32Pixel size in xm
y_pixel_sizeNX_FLOAT32Pixel size in ym

Detector Geometry

HDF5 path: /entry/instrument/detector/geometry/
NX_class = NXgeometry

A detailed description of the module and detector geometry can be found in the two files below.

NeXus NameNeXus Data TypeDescription
orientation/valueNX_FLOAT32[6]Two vectors describing tilt of detector relative to laboratory frame.
translation/distancesNX_FLOAT32[3]Orthogonal distances of first pixel of the detector from the origin of the laboratory frame.

Detector Specific Information

HDF5 path:/entry/instrument/detector/detectorSpecific/
NX_class = NXcollection

NeXus NameNeXus Data TypeDescriptionUnit
auto_summationNX_BOOLEANAuto-summation was used, i.e. images are composed of summed frames
calibration_typeNX_CHAR(used internally)
countrate_correction_bunch_modeNX_UINT32Bunch mode of the count rate correction. Default value: continuous
countrate_correction_count_cutoffNX_CHARMaximum count value for which an accurate count rate correction can be performed
data_collection_dateNX_DATE_TIMEDate and time of data collection in ISO 8601
detector_readout_periodNX_FLOAT32(used internally)s
eiger_fw_versionNX_FLOAT32Version of the EIGER firmware
elementNX_CHARElement corresponding to photon energy (e.g. Cu => 8.04 keV)
flatfieldNX_FLOAT32[i,j]Flatfield correction data
frame_count_timeNX_FLOAT32(used internally)s
frame_periodNX_FLOAT32Effective time between the start of subsequent data collections. This is frame_time corrected for detector_readout_time.s
nframes_sumNX_UINT32Number of summed frames
nimagesNX_UINT32Number of images
nsequencesNX_UINT32(used internally)
ntriggerNX_UINT32Number of triggers
number_of_excluded_pixelsNX_UINT32Number of excluded (unreliable) pixels
photon_energyNX_FLOAT32Photon energy Default value: cp_photon_energy = 2* threshold_energyeV
pixel_maskNX_UINT32[i,j]Contains a bit field for each pixel to signal dead, blind or high or otherwise unwanted or undesirable pixels. The bits have the following meaning: 0 gap (pixel with no sensor) 1 dead 2 under responding 3 over responding 4 noisy 5-31 -undefined-
software_versionNX_CHARSoftware version used for data acquisition
summation_nimagesNX_UINT32Number of subimages auto-summed to yield an image
trigger_modeNX_CHARTrigger mode, e.g. firmware_controlled (time-resolved), externally_triggered, externally_triggered_window, software control
x_pixels_in_detectorNX_UINT32Number of pixels in detector in x direction
y_pixels_in_detectorNX_UINT32Number of pixels in detector in y direction

Goniometer

HDF5 path: /entry/sample/goniometer/
NX_class = NXtranslations

NeXus NameNeXus Data TypeDescriptionUnit
omegaNX_FLOAT32[n]Starting omega value for each imagedegrees
omega_endNX_FLOAT32[n]Omega end value for each imagedegrees
omega_range_averageNX_FLOAT32Average omega value for datasetdegrees
omega_range_totalNX_FLOAT32Total omega range for datasetdegrees
phiNX_FLOAT32[n]Starting phi value for each imagedegrees
phi_endNX_FLOAT32[n]Phi end value for each imagedegrees
phi_range_averageNX_FLOAT32Average phi value for datasetdegrees
phi_range_totalNX_FLOAT32Total phi range for datasetdegrees
chiNX_FLOAT32[n]Starting chi value for each imagedegrees
chi_endNX_FLOAT32[n]Chi end value for each imagedegrees
chi_range_averageNX_FLOAT32Average chi value for datasetdegrees
chi_range_totalNX_FLOAT32Total chi range for datasetdegrees
kappaNX_FLOAT32[n]Starting kappa value for each imagedegrees
kappa_endNX_FLOAT32[n]Kappa end value for each imagedegrees
kappa_range_averageNX_FLOAT32Average kappa value for datasetdegrees
kappa_range_totalNX_FLOAT32Total kappa range for datasetdegrees

Beam

HDF5 path: /entry/instrument/beam/
NX_class = NXbeam

NeXus NameNeXus Data TypeDescriptionUnit
incident_wavelengthNX_FLOAT32Wavelength of the beam in the case of monochromatic beamangstrom