What is it for?

Spectrometry covers a wide range of applications. If our lab environment is dedicated to materials testing and research (reflectance of solar cells, thin-film thickness analysis, AR coating analysis, novel composite materials analysis, color measurements, color matching, optical density, optical filters, safety eye wear…), the spectrophotometer can be useful for various other fields: quantitative analysis of strongly absorbing liquid media or spectroelectrochemical measurements for reduction of CO2, assessment of crop condition, study of paints and effects of pigments, analysis of potential sun blocking agents, analysis of heavy metals in water…

Cary 5000 Spectrophotometer, with following properties and accessories:

• 175-1800 nm range and it uses unqiue InGaAs detection for improved linearity
• Universal Measurement Accessory: multi-angle, absolute reflection (R), transmission (T), absorptance (A) and scattering measurements, which are perfect for materials research, i.e. optics, thin films/coatings, solar and glass
• Diffuse Reflectance Accessory: reflectance, transmittance, or absorptance measurements of diffuse, specular, or mixed samples.
• Praying Mantis Accessory: has several advantages over traditional integrating spheres; Ideal for very small samples (3 mm in diameter), can be used for samples that must be kept horizontal, such as powders, liquids or pastes

How does it work?

The tool compares a reference beam of light with a beam of light getting through the sample or reflected at its surface. Thanks to interferometry and numerical calculations, absorption/reflection spectra can be drawn or deduced with high resolution and low noise.