Curve Maps → Basic operations → Crop

The module cuts the curve map in lateral directions that can be entered either in pixels or in physical dimensions. With Keep lateral offsets option enabled, the top left corner coordinates of the resulting image correspond to the top left corner of the selection, otherwise the top left corner coordinates are set to (0, 0).

Flip the data horizontally (i.e. about the vertical axis), vertically (i.e. about the horizontal axis) or in both axes with Curve Maps → Basic Operations → Flip Horizontally, Flip Vertically or Flip Both Axes, respectively.

Rotation of data by 90 degrees is done using one of the basic rotation functions: Curve Maps → Basic Operations → Rotate Clockwise, Rotate Anticlockwise .

Curve Maps → Basic operations → Dimensions and Units

The module changes physical dimensions of curve maps. This is useful for the correction of raw data that have been imported with wrong physical scales or as a simple manual recalibration of dimensions and values. Apart of different methods for determining the scaling factors (matching pixel size of another data set, setting the scale directly or setting the physical dimensions), the module can be also used to set the lateral offsets. Finally, it can be also used to set the lateral scale units if this was not done while loading the file.

Curve Maps → Basic operations → Remove Segments

The module removes any curve map segmentation. Segments are formed by marks on datasets in each pixel of the curve map and can be used e.g. for splitting the force-distance curve into an approach and a retract part in the force-distance data processing modules. Using this module all such marks are deleted.

Curve Maps → Align...

The module performs alignment of the curves in the 'z' direction, where 'z' can mean height, but also any other variable on which the spectra are dependent, like voltage in a IV characteristics. A typical use is aligning the Force-Distance curves measured on a sample with large topography variations, obtaining the topography and shifting all the curves to start at the same z level.

Curve Maps → Extract Curves

The module extracts individual curves as a graph, displayed in the graph window. As there is no hierarchy in the data forming the curve map, it is necessary to select Abscissa (the independent variable) and Ordinate (the dependent variable) to do so. Typically, for a force-distance curve, the Abscissa will be something related to height or probe-sample separation and Ordinate will be something related to force. Multiple curves can be extracted by clicking on the Extract Multiple option.

Curve Maps → Cut to Segments

The module can be used to either create segments on the curve map or to extract these segments. Segments are the key prerequisite for some of the curve map analysis functions. For example, they can represent the approach and retract part of force-distance data. The module uses a Curve selected by the user and applies some method (selected by Mode parameter) to detect how to split (or mark) the data. For the mentioned case of force-distance measurements the most logical split would be based on the height, segmenting the curve to an approach, hold and retract part as shown here.

Screenshot of Cut to Segments module, showing typical segmentation settings for force-distance data.

The Output type can be set to mark the segments only, which is the most typical application. Here, the curve map is not altered, only positions of segments for each individual pixel are added. This is the mode which should be selected to prepare data for curve map processing modules that use segmented data. The second option is to extract some segments, including the selection of which curves should be kept. This can be also used to shrink the data size significantly, keeping only what is needed.