Spectrometers, Spectroscopy, and Spectrometer Accessories

Optical spectrometers are used to characterise thin film samples and solutions via optical spectroscopy (often referred to as UV-Vis spectroscopy). Optical spectroscopy is a versatile technique, which is fast and easy to do. Through even the simplest absorbance measurement, you can learn a lot about your sample, such as molecular composition, concentration, or photo-stability of your sample. Optical spectroscopy is used across the sciences to characterise a wide range of samples including measuring material properties of optoelectronic materials, tracking bacterial culture growth and measuring fluorescent or photoluminescent materials.
Our low price spectrometers have a small lab footprint and come with accompanying software to enable fast integration with any lab. The modular design of the spectrometer along with the complementary accessories, make it possible to adapt the spectrometer set up for your specific needs. We have created the Ossila Optical Spectrometer to facilitate optical spectroscopy measurements for as many researchers as possible. These include absorption, photoluminescence and reflectance measurements.
The Ossila Optical Spectrometer has a range of low price complementary equipment and accessories. For the best value, we recommend our complete optical spectroscopy bundle includes a spectrometer, broadband white light source, UV light source, cuvette holder, four port transmission holder, two SMA optical fibres, an optical mirror, and a breadboard plate. This would enable you to do absorbance, reflectivity, and photoluminescence measurements. Available now for a discounted price with free world shipping and spectroscopy software.
Browse Optical Spectrometers and Spectroscopy

Optical Spectrometer
The Ossila Optical Spectrometer is compact, low price, and suitable for taking research-grade optical spectroscopy measurements of thin films or solutions. Controllable via our free software or with simple serial commands, the spectrometer can be set up and adopted into any lab. Covered by our two-year warranty and eligible for free worldwide shipping.

Optical Spectroscopy Bundle
Our best value offering, the optical spectroscopy bundle kit includes an optical spectrometer and plus supplementary spectroscopy equipment and accessories including two light source (broadband and UV) and two sample holders (quartz cuvette holder and four-port substrate holder). Available at a discounted price compared to when bought separately.

Broadband White Light Source
USB-C powered LED light source which exhibits light between 360-900 nm. Ideal light source for measuring transmission or absorbance. Optimised to be used with the Ossila Optical Spectrometer but can be used as a light source for other spectrometers. Align with our optical breadboard or use with optical fibers.

UV Light Source
USB-C powered UV LED light source with a peak wavelength at 370 nm. This light source is an excitation source for photoluminescence measurements. Optimised to be used with the Ossila spectrometer. Can be aligned so light travels through air or can be used with optical fibres.

Cuvette Holder
Compatible with any standard 10 mm path length cuvettes for absorption, fluorescence, and transmission measurements on solutions. Connect optical fibers for direct transmission through the solution or align with the spectrometer for free air measurement. Removable plugs allow you to measure fluorescence at 90° angles from the illumination source.

Transmission Sample Holder (Two-Port)
These sample holders are designed to hold rigid or flexible substrates up to maximum 6.5 mm thickness. Retractable clamp allows you to fix your samples in place during spectroscopy measurements.

Transmission Sample Holder (Four-Port)
Four-port transmission sample holder for a range of spectroscopy measurements; hold your sample in place while you measure transmission, absorption, reflectivity, and photoluminescence

Optical Fiber
Our optical fibres connect directly to our sample holders, light sources, and optical spectrometers. These fibres aid light transport between components, reducing optical losses, and negating the need for alignment. Fibre length 1 m with 400 µm core.

Optical Breadboard Plate
This compact optical breadboard can be used to set up an optical bench on any worktop or desk space. Optical and measurement equipment can be fixed in place to ensure position continuity between measurements. Made of anodized aluminium, this breadboard is rigid but lightweight.

Spectrometer Case
Specially designed protective case for the Ossila Optical Spectrometer. It is important that the spectrometer stays in the same place for the course of a measurement. The spectrometer case can be fixed onto the Optical Breadboard at the various mounting points to ensure consistent position. The case also provides some protection for the spectrometer against falling or physical damage.

Quartz Cuvettes
Quartz cuvettes are ideal for taking spectroscopy measurements on solutions. Quartz has high levels of transmission of visible light, so should not interfere with optical spectroscopy measurements, such as absorption and photoluminescence. There are various different cuvettes you can get depending on the solution, with variable path length, volume or transmission wavelength windows.

Optical Mirror (20 mm x 15 mm)
This optical mirror is a silver mirror coated with SiO2 with reflectivity of over 0.96 above 550 nm. This is a reference sample for reflectivity measurements, as it should represent a completely specular surface.

Ultra-flat Quartz Coated Glass Substrates
Quartz-coated glass substates are perfect for taking spectroscopy measurements on thin films. Quartz has high levels of transmission of visible light, so should not interfere with optical spectroscopy measurements, such as absorption and photoluminescence. These substrates are extremely smooth to enable you to make smooth, uniform films.
Taking Measurements with a Spectrometer
The Ossila Optical Spectrometer has many potential applications that span multiple disciplines. It can be used for the characterisation of LEDs and lasers, (anti)reflection coating efficiency measurements, for investigations into absorbing materials, fluorescence detection, photovoltaics, and much more.
Optical Absorption

The optical absorption of material will tell you about the wavelengths of light that it will absorb. With this information, along with emission data, you can probe the internal electronic and vibrational structure of atoms and molecules. In some cases, this can give you information about the conformational structure of molecules and polymers within your sample.
Absorbance measurements can also be used to calculate the concentration of absorbing species in a sample or monitor the progress of chemical reactions.
The ability to measure absorption is critical for applications such as chemical synthesis and analysis, material discovery (for photovoltaics, LEDs, or pharmaceuticals) and quality control.
Typically, the spectroscopy light source used for absorption and transmission measurements has a very broad spectrum. Suitable sources include deuterium or tungsten halogen lamps or an LED broadband white light source.
Transmission and Reflectivity
Transmission and reflectivity measurements have applications that range from characterising photonic structures such as dielectric stacks (often used as high-reflectivity or antireflection coatings) to process control in manufacturing. They can be used to detect changes in film thickness, density changes, and even the presence or absence of objects.
Light Scattering
Scattering measurements are much less common, due in part to the difficulties in predicting and detecting where the light will scatter. With the correct procedures, optical spectrometers can be used to calculate the size and distribution of scattering centers within a sample. They are also useful for impurity detection/monitoring in water systems, nanoparticle characterisation and drug loading for pharmaceuticals.
Luminescence
The Ossila Optical Spectrometer can also be used to measure the emission spectrum of materials and devices. Studying the light that is emitted by a material is a complementary technique to absorption spectroscopy, in that it probes how processes lead to the conversion of internal energy to photons, rather than the other way around.

The Ossila Spectrometer can be used to measure various type of radiative emission measurements including steady-state photoluminescence, fluorescence and phosphorescence. In these cases, the compatible Ossila UV light source can be used as an excitation source. Alternatively, you can use a igh energy laser of appropriate wavelength. You can also use the spectrometer to measure the emission of light from non-radiative excitation sources, such as for electroluminescence measurements.
From emission measurements, you can extract information about the electronic and vibrational states pf a material, as well as how these materials are interacting with their surroundings. This information can be used to complement (or as an alternative to) absorption measurements for chemical synthesis and analysis, material characterisation and discovery, quality control, and more. In addition, luminescence also has some unique applications. For example, fluorescent molecules are often used as 'tags' or 'tracers' in applications as far-ranging as understanding the processes occurring within living cells, to identifying the paths of water courses.
Optical spectroscopy is invaluable in studying all types of emission. It allows the colour rendering index (CRI) of light sources to be calculated, which is an important factor when developing lighting for specific applications.