What is it about?
The main idea behind the work is to use a common, linear charge-coupled device sensor such as is commonly found in scanners to implement an extremely low cost spectrometer capable of resolving 0.13 nanometer wavelengths over the 300 nm (ultraviolet) to the 1000 nm (near infra-red). Controlling CCDs can be difficult and complex because of the nature of the timing signals required, such as high-speed, multi-phase clocks. This problem is solved using field programmable gate array logic that implements high speed FIFO, logic and timing control. The resulting instrument communicates with the external world using the universal serial bus (USB 2.0) standard.
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Why is it important?
This work is important because it makes low cost, high accuracy, wavelength-based spectrometry possible. The final instrument performs as well as a commercial instrument but at a fraction of the cost. It is likely to find many applications in a wide range of fields through simple adaptation of the illumination front-end.
Perspectives
Being the sole author of the publication, I feel that this work is important because it solves many of the personal challenges that many of my colleagues and I have faced regarding accurate, affordable wavelength-based spectrometry covering UV-Vis-NIR wavelengths. It is my sincere belief that this work represents a welcome advancement that puts wavelength spectroscopy firmly within the grasp of even the poorest of laboratories. Not only can it facilitate professional measurements, but it can also help popularize the field of spectroscopy.
Dr Richard O. Ocaya
University of the Free State
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Versatile CCD-based spectrometer with field programmable gate array controller core, IET Science Measurement & Technology, October 2016, the Institution of Engineering and Technology (the IET),
DOI: 10.1049/iet-smt.2016.0063.
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