Spectroscopy Outside the Laboratory

In the past 20 years, spectrometers have shrunk dramatically in size, and this shrinking has been achieved with only modest performance reductions in sampling versatility, spectral range, spectral resolution, and signal-to-noise.

Portable X-ray fluorescence was used to analyze the archaeological remains of an Underground Railroad station to gain a clearer understanding of the construction phases it underwent during the 19th century.

The implementation of 120 open-path spectroscopy analyzers at oil refineries has taught us lessons about compound identification, target species detectability, interferences, and data management, which can help spectroscopists generate more accurate data when monitoring air quality.

The results of this study showed that orbital raster scanning (ORS) technology, which ensured a greater interrogation area, also resolved issues of conventional Raman spectroscopy, such as low spectrum intensity and resolution.

A PLS model was built with optimized wavelength variables generated by a competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS) algorithm, enabling the use of handheld NIR spectroscopy to rapidly detect peroxide values in oil.

A novel approach to NIR spectral sensing, using a miniaturized fully-integrated multipixel array of resonant-cavity-enhanced InGaAs photodetectors, enables sensors with a millimeter-scale footprint and wafer-scale fabrication. This multipixel sensor does not measure the full spectrum, but rather a limited number of spectral regions with limited resolution (50–100 nm).