Steps to choose the suitable spectrometer system for your application

The spectrometer system is a very important tool in research and quality control in many fields, from chemistry, biology, medicine to industry and the environment. However, choosing a spectrometer system that are suitable with the needs and purposes of the user is not simple. This article will introduce how to choose a spectrometer system including its accessories in this system. 

1. Measuring purpose:

Before choosing a spectrometer system, users need to clearly define their measurement purposes. Common measurement purposes include transmittance, reflectance, emission and fluorescence (refer to article on measurement spectra: link). Depending on the purpose of the measurement system, there will be different setup equipment.

For example, if the purpose is to measure transmittance, the spectrometer system should be designed to be able to measure wavelengths suitable for the transmission area and with high sensitivity.

Determining the measurement purpose will be very important for the spectrophotometric process because it will influence the selection of the next steps.

2. Wavelength:

Secondly, the user needs to choose the wavelength suitable for the measurement purpoes. The three most commonly used ranges are UV-Vis-NIR (Ultraviolet – Visible – Near Infrared). For each range, different wavelengths will be used to measure different types of samples. For example, in the UV wavelength range, wavelength is commonly used to measure DNA- and protein-related molecules. In the NIR wavelength range, it is commonly used to measure chemical constituents in food and pharmaceutical products.

3. Components of the measuring system:

After determining the purpose and wavelength, the user needs to select the components of the measuring system that suit your needs. The spectrometer is one of the most important components of a measuring system. Ocean Insight's spectrometers are divided into product lines with different outstanding features for users to choose from: standard, high resolution, high speed, high sensitivity, NIR and Raman measurement.

• Standard spectrometers are the most common type and are widely used in common applications such as product quality inspection and production process control.
• High resolution and high speed are the advantages of high-end spectrometers, increasing measurement accuracy and speed.
• High sensitivity is important when measuring low concentration samples.
• NIR and Raman spectrometers are used to measure molecules that are relevant for applications such as cellular research and medical analysis.

4. Light source:

The light source is another important component of the spectrometer system and can be selected based on the wavelength required for measurement. Ocean Insight offers popular light sources such as Deuterium sources, halogen sources, xenon sources and more. Deuterium lamps can be used to measure wavelengths in the UV and Vis regions, while halogen and xenon lamps are used to measure wavelengths in the Vis and NIR regions. The combination of these light sources provides a broad spectrum of light from UV to NIR. For applications that require a light source with a narrow spectrum of light for each wavelength, Ocean Insight offers the LSM product line. The LSM series of LED light sources are also suitable for fluorescence excitation applications. The Raman Laser product line offers laser sources with narrow spectral lines suitable for Raman scattering applications.

5. Fiber Type:

The type of fiber used in the spectrometer also play a vital part in spectrometer system and should be appropriate for the wavelength and purpose of the measurement. Optical fibers used in standard spectrometer systems are usually made of silica glass. Depending on the purpose of use, the user needs to choose the corresponding type of optical fiber.

Ocean Insight provides a variety of optical fibers for different purposes such as patch cord for light transmission in transmittance measurement systems, bifurcated optical fiber - two optical fibers. parallel has a common end, the other two ends are divided to connect to two different points, can be used to measure a light source by two spectrometers with two different measuring ranges, reflection probe ) for reflectometry applications. Then, it is necessary to select the appropriate transmission wavelength. There are also other specifications such as fiber core diameter, fiber length, jacketing material, etc (as shown in Figure 2).

Figure 2: Specifications for choosing the right optical fiber

6. Accessories:

Finally, accessories such as Integrating sphere, cuvettes, and standard reflectors are also important in spectrophotometric systems. The Integrating sphere can be used for LED emission measurement applications. Cuvettes are used to measure liquid or gas samples in a transmission spectrometer system. The standard reflectance sample is used to calibrate the reflectance spectrometer.

In conclusion, it is very important to choose a spectrophotometric system suitable for measurement needs and purposes. The user needs to clearly define the measurement purpose, select the appropriate wavelength, select the appropriate measuring system components such as the spectrometer, light source and fiber type, along with accessories such as integrators, cuvettes and standard reflectance pattern. When being able to choose the right spectrometer system, it will help the measurement process to achieve high accuracy and ensure the reliability of the measurement results.

If you still have questions about how to choose a spectrometer for your measurement experiments, contact to our company Intins, we will provide products and solutions for your optical measurement requirements, your application.