Compact monochromator speeds sampling throughput

8th April 2015

Mick Elliott

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Shimadzu’s SPG-120-REV series monochromator system was developed in response to strong demands from researchers and manufacturers for compact, high speed, accurate, and highly reproducible grating-based spectroscopy systems. It achieves wavelength changes ten times faster than conventional models by directly driving a grating with a stepping motor, reducing measurement times by 50%.

The compactness and software control of the system offers a wide range of applications including two dimensional spectral mapping of solar cell materials and optical devices.

Monochromator systems for optical spectroscopy—consisting of a diffraction grating, monochromatic light source, and an optical detector—are used to analyse luminescent, reflectance or transmission spectra of materials and devices such as LEDs. The spectra yield important information about the quality and possible existence of defects in materials and devices.

Hence, monochromator based spectroscopy, and small spectroscopy systems manufactured by Shimadzu, are used widely in production lines of quality control of flat panel displays, monitoring dry etching processes of semiconductors, and thin film evaporation systems.

The new system is able to accurately and reproducibly move from 200 nm to 900 nm in just two seconds. This speed and accuracy were realised by attaching the grating directly to the stepping motor that is used to move the grating to change optical wavelengths.

This feature will improve the throughput for applications that require measurements of large numbers of samples; multi-wavelength analysis of individual samples; and two dimensional mapping of the surfaces of materials and devices.

The new features are also expected to open up new applications such as in-line inspection of food.

The SPG-120-REV monochromator system will be available as a ‘package’ of the individual components required for monochromator based optical spectroscopy.