Spectrometers & Spectroscopy Equipment

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Spectrometers and Spectroscopy Equipment | Spectrophotometer vs. Spectrometer | Choosing a System
Spectrometer Features | Resources | Technical Support

Spectrometers are diagnostic instruments used to take spectroscopy measurements. Spectroscopy is the study of an interaction between radiative energy and matter. Therefore, spectrometers are used in many different applications such as optical spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, radiation detection (such as gamma spectroscopy) and nuclear magnetic resonance.

However, the most common use of spectrometer is to describe an optical spectrometer. This spectrometer is an instrument that measures interactions between visible light and matter. This includes measurements like absorbance, transmittance and fluorescence. The information is presented as a spectrum, showing radiative intensity as a function of energy, frequency, or wavelength.

There are multiple types of optical spectrometers including:

Spectrofluorometers and spectrophotometers, which use monochromators to separate individual wavelengths. These are enclosed systems that contain light sources, sample holders, monochromators and single pixel detectors in one unit.
Compact spectrometers, like the USB spectrometer, which use CCD arrays to measure all wavelengths at once. These systems can disperse and measure light, but light sources and connecting optics are connected separately.

At Ossila, we have a wide range of spectroscopy equipment to help you conduct a wide range of optical spectroscopy experiments.

Spectrofluorometer

A complete spectrofluorescence system that ensures consistent alignment between components for reliable measurements.

Wavelength range: 380-1000 nm
Wavelength accuracy, repeatability: <1 nm, <0.1 nm
SNR: 26,000:1
2 Light Sources

One UV LED for fluorescence (365±15 nm)
One broadband LED light source (380-1000 nm)

Software with absorbance, PL, transmission measurements, part diagnosis, and periodic measurement.

The included sample holder supports both thin films and standard cuvettes, and can be rotated in indexed 22.5-degree increments. The integrated filter holders, meanwhile, allow bandpass filters to be easily inserted into the beam path.

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Spectrometers and Spectrofluorometers

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Spectrometer Vs. Spectrophotometer

A spectrometer, such as a CCD spectrometer, contains elements that disperse light (often a diffraction grating) and measure light (such as a CCD array detector). One important feature of CCD spectrometers is that they measure the intensity of all wavelengths of light simultaneously. Also, the light source, sample holder and accompanying optics must be fixed and aligned outside the spectrometer.

This means that USB spectrometers can produce full spectra quickly, which is useful for fast dynamic measurements. These modular systems are also compact, versatile and can fit into many set ups. However, their sensitivity is limited by the area of each pixel on the detector and there is no facility to internally select or isolate wavelengths.

Spectrophotometers are generally complete units that house multiple components including light sources, monochromators (to disperse light), sample holder and single pixel detectors. Importantly, spectrophotometers (and spectrofluorometers) build a spectrum one wavelength at a time. The monochromator isolates each wavelength, which is then directed through the sample to the detector.

This design means that spectrophotometer measurements take longer. However, they can achieve a higher sensitivity as using a larger single pixel detector means more light can be collected at each wavelength, detecting lower signals. Also, as all elements are aligned and fixed in place, there can be more consistency between experiments.

Choosing a System

Spectrofluorometer or Spectrophotometer?

With a common foundation, the spectrofluorometer and spectrophotometer differ primarily in measurement capability.

The Ossila Spectrophotometer has a single monochromator and detector to select the wavelength of incident light. It can measure absorption and transmission.
The Ossila Spectrofluorometer also measures absorbance and transmission,but it is equipped with an additional second monochromator, second detector and a UV light source. With these additional components, the spectrofluorometer can isolate specific excitation wavelengths, and capture both emission and excitation fluorescence spectra.

	Ossila Spectrofluorometer	Ossila Spectrophotometer
Number of Monochromators	2	1
Number of Detectors	2	1
Broadband Light Source
UV Light Source
Suitable for Absorbance Measurements?
Suitable for Fluorescence Measurements?	Emission and excitation spectra

Spectrophotometer or USB Spectrometer?

Both the spectrophotometer and USB spectrometer split light into component wavelengths and measure intensity. However, they operate under different working principles.

The Ossila Spectrophotometer is a complete system that can provide higher resolution and accuracy, while the Ossila USB Spectrometer is a flexible, modular instrument designed for integration with separate components into custom setups.

In the Ossila Spectrophotometer, the diffraction grating rotates, sequentially directing different wavelengths onto a single pixel detector. By comparison, the Ossila USB Spectrometer uses a fixed diffraction grating and a multi-pixel array detector.

	Spectrophotometers	Spectrometers
Diffraction Grating	Rotating (in monochromator)	Fixed
Sensor	Single-pixel photodetector	Multipixel array (CCD)
Entrance Slit	Adjustable	Fixed
Measurement Acquisition	Intensity of transmitted light at specific wavelengths	Entire spectrum at once
Light Source Included?	Broadband
Sample Holder Included?	For thin films and liquids
Additional Components Needed	None	Light source, sample holder, optical fibers

Choosing a Light Source

The type of light sources you will need to use with your spectrometer or in your spectroscopy system will vary depending on the type of measurement you are doing.

Measurement	UV Light Source	Broadband Light Source	Tunable Light Source
Absorbance
Transmission
Excitation Fluorescence
Emission Fluorescence
Examples	UV Light Source USB UV Light Source	USB Broadband White Light Source Broadband Light Source	Tunable Light Source

Spectrometer Features

Wavelength range

Consider the likely emission/absorbance peaks of your sample, and match this with the measurement range of a spectroscopy system. For example:

Ossila Spectrofluorometer/Spectrophotometer: 380 - 1000 nm
Ossila Optical Spectrometer: 320 - 1050 nm

Spectral Resolution

Spectral resolution is a measurement of how close two peaks can be while still being detected as two individual peaks. The higher the spectral resolution, the more detail you will be able to see in the spectrum. However, this only matters for very detailed spectra or if your emission peak width is lower than this SR.

Spectral resolution can be affected by spectrometer slit width, groove density of diffraction gratings and array density (in CCD detectors).

Acquisition Time

Linear detectors (such as the USB spectrometer) have a much faster acquisition time than monochromator based systems like the spectrofluorometer. Increasing integration time or averaging/accumulating spectra to increase sensitivity will also increase acquisition time.

On this scale (i.e. within the boundaries of steady state spectroscopy measurements), fast acquisition time can be useful if you are tracking dynamic processes or measuring many samples.

SNR/Sensitivity

The sensitivity of a spectrometer is largely determined by the detector area and the type of detector used. Noise can come from the spectrometers dark current, stray light, or aberrations within the system. Signal to noise ratio (SNR) combines these two factors to give an overall measurement of spectrometer sensitivity.

Reducing noise, increasing signal-to-noise ratio and improving sensitivity are all important for low signal measurements, such as when measuring weak fluorescence.

Repeatability vs. Versatility

Modular spectrometers can slot into busy optics benches, or be built into more complex set ups. With optical fibers and a range of accompanying accessories (LED light sources, sample holders, filters, etc), you can build the spectroscopy system you need.

However, all in one systems, like the spectrofluorometer, have all the components fixed in alignment. This means there is less variation between experiments compared to a modular system, leading to more repeatable results.

Resources

Buying Guides

Choosing Spectroscopy Instruments

UV-Vis spectroscopy (or optical spectroscopy) is a simple but effective technique used to probe the molecular structure of a material. Measuring absorbance and emission of light from a sample can give you vital data about: