A Survey of Basic Instrument Components Used in Spectroscopy, Part 1: Sources, Lasers, and Detectors

Abstract

In Spectroscopy, we regularly discuss the chemistry and physics of measurements made on a variety of sample types using many spectroscopic techniques. Only occasionally have we covered what’s inside the instruments we use for making our measurements. Many critical components and procedures are required to build and manufacture safe and effective high-performance instrumentation, including energy sources, lasers, detectors, optics, and electronics, as well as the design and safety and performance testing of those parts. In this four-part article, we survey various aspects and component parts of spectroscopy instrumentation to provide a basic “under the hood” look at those instruments we spectroscopists are sometimes all too familiar with or even complacent about—often referring to instrument research, design, engineering, manufacturing, and quality testing teams simply as “vendors.” In today’s fast-paced instrument manufacturing facilities, there is a lot of research and engineering going on that covers a broad range of scientific endeavors, all the way from ideation to shipping. This four-part series follows on from The Spectroscopy Instrument Components Terminology Guide, published in February, which you can download for use as a reference. We are also planning future tutorial articles, so look out for those.