Types of Spectrometers
The word spectrometer covers a large family of instruments that measure light intensity as a function of wavelength. Choosing the right type depends on what you are measuring, the wavelength range required, the sensitivity needed and whether you need a research-grade or routine analytical instrument.
UV-Vis Spectrometers
UV-Vis spectrometers (200-1100 nm) measure absorbance, transmittance or reflectance of liquid or solid samples. Miniature fiber-optic spectrometers such as the StellarNet BLUE-Wave and Silver-Nova use CCD or CMOS array detectors for simultaneous full-spectrum acquisition in milliseconds, making them ideal for process monitoring, color measurement and rapid absorbance measurements. They are compact, USB-powered and integrate easily into custom measurement systems.
NIR Spectrometers
Near-infrared spectrometers (900-2500 nm) use InGaAs or other infrared-sensitive detectors. They are the instrument of choice for non-destructive composition analysis of food, agricultural products, polymers and pharmaceutical solids. The StellarNet DWARF-Star NIR spectrometer covers 900-1700 nm with InGaAs detection in a compact, fiber-optic coupled format.
Raman Spectrometers
Raman spectrometers measure inelastic light scattering to obtain molecular fingerprint spectra. They require a monochromatic laser source and high-rejection notch or edge filters. Research Raman systems such as the HORIBA LabRAM series provide confocal spatial resolution and chemical mapping capability. Compact Raman modules such as the StellarNet RAMAN-HR-TEC are suitable for portable and embedded applications.
Fluorescence Spectrometers
Spectrofluorometers measure emission spectra of fluorescent samples excited by a broadband source and scanning monochromators. They require high sensitivity (low stray light, sensitive detectors) and precise wavelength accuracy. The HORIBA FluoroLog-QM and Nanolog systems provide research-grade fluorescence performance from UV to NIR.
Key Specifications to Compare
- Wavelength range – must cover your analyte absorption or emission peaks
- Optical resolution – determines how closely spaced spectral features can be resolved
- Stray light – critical for absorbance measurements at high concentrations
- Detector sensitivity – signal-to-noise ratio determines the minimum detectable signal
- Integration time – affects speed of measurement and noise averaging
- Interface – USB, Ethernet or analog output depending on integration needs
NewRoad supplies spectrometers from StellarNet and HORIBA Scientific covering UV, visible, NIR and Raman wavelength ranges. Contact us to discuss which spectrometer best matches your measurement requirements.
