Introducing SpectraFit: An Open-Source Tool for Interactive Spectral Analysis.

Abstract

In chemistry, analyzing spectra through peak fitting is a crucial task that helps scientists extract useful quantitative information about a sample's chemical composition or electronic structure. To make this process more efficient, we have developed a new open-source software tool called SpectraFit. This tool allows users to perform quick data fitting using regular expressions of distribution and linear functions through the command line interface (CLI) or Jupyter Notebook, which can run on Linux, Windows, and MacOS, as well as in a Docker container. As part of our commitment to good scientific practice, we have introduced an output file-locking system to ensure the accuracy and consistency of information. This system collects input data, results data, and the initial fitting model in a single file, promoting transparency, reproducibility, collaboration, and innovation. To demonstrate SpectraFit's user-friendly interface and the advantages of its output file-locking system, we are focusing on a series of previously published iron-sulfur dimers and their XAS spectra. We will show how to analyze the XAS spectra via CLI and in a Jupyter Notebook by applying a global fitting routine. Additionally, we will demonstrate how SpectraFit can be used as a black box and white box solution, allowing users to apply their own algorithms to engineer the data further. The publication, along with its supplementary information, serves as a playbook to guide users through each step of the process. SpectraFit will streamline the peak fitting process and prove to be an invaluable resource for chemists and other professionals working in related fields.