Hitachi introduces two new versions of the U-4100 UV-Vis-NIR Spectrophotometer: the Standard Solid Sample System and Large Solid Sample System. These new systems use PMT and InGaAs detectors, providing increased sensitivity in the range of 850–1700 nm. This results in reduced noise, making the instrument suitable for the measurement of low transmitting/reflecting anti-reflection coatings.
UV-Vis-NIR
Hitachi introduces two new versions of the U-4100 UV-Vis-NIR Spectrophotometer: the Standard Solid Sample System and Large Solid Sample System. These new systems use PMT and InGaAs detectors, providing increased sensitivity in the range of 850–1700 nm. This results in reduced noise, making the instrument suitable for the measurement of low transmitting/reflecting anti-reflection coatings.
Hitachi High Technologies America, Schaumburg, IL; www.hitachi-hta.com
ATR accessory
Harrick's new VariGATR™ grazing angle ATR accessory, with its variable 60–65°, provides high sensitivity for the analysis of monolayers on silicon and metal substrates. According to the company, the product is compatible with all FT-IR spectrometers, accommodates samples up to 200mm in diameter, and has a built-in pressure applicator.
Harrick Scientific Products, Pleasantville, NY; www.harricksci.com
NIR spectral engine
BaySpec's F2 SuperGamut NIR spectral engine is designed for applications such as process automation, petrochemical facilities, pharmaceuticals, food processing, agricultural feed monitoring, semiconductor wafer monitoring, water quality, and medical diagnostics. The 88 mm × 110 mm × 39 mm instrument covers the 800–2500 nm wavelength range and can be used at temperatures ranging from –10 °C to 60 °C.
BaySpec, Inc., Fremont, CA; www.bayspec.com
Spectroscopic ellipsometer–reflectometer
HORIBA Jobin Yvon's UVISEL RM system combines a spectroscopic ellipsometer with a normal incidence reflectometer. The instrument is designed for characterizing film thickness and index of refraction of transparent materials. According to the company, the relectometer has a spectral range of 210–2100 nm and a spot size of 200 μm.
HORIBA Jobin Yvon, Edison, NJ; www.jobinyvon.com
Cuvette
The TrayCell cuvette from Hellma reportedly uses the surface tension of 4 μL of sample to form a repeatable optical path of 1 mm ± 0.02 mm. According to the company, it is compatible with most spectrophotometers, operates at temperatures ranging from 5 °C to 50 °C, and has a wavelength range of 190–800 nm. Applications include biotechnology, drug discovery, and forensics.
Hellma, Plainview, NY; www.hellmausa.com
FT-IR spectrometers
ABB Analytical's general-purpose laboratory Fourier-transform IR spectrometers are designed for ease of use, reliability, and constant results. Two versions are available: the MB3000 system is for analyses in the mid-IR range, and the MB3600 system is for near-IR analyses. The company's Horizon MB FT-IR software can be used with the spectrometers to facilitate data acquisition, processing, and sample analysis.
ABB Analytical, Québec, Canada; www.abb.com/analytical
Infrared microscope
The new Thermo Scientific Nicolet™ iN10 MX infrared microscope reportedly provides chemical images at very fast speeds utilizing Ultra-Fast Mapping, which maps a 1 mm × 1 mm area in four seconds. According to the company, Micro-ATR Mapping measures samples as small as 3 μm.
Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, MA; www.thermofisher.com
Reference materials catalog
Inorganic Ventures introduces its 2008–2009 catalog of stocked certified reference materials, featuring standards for ICP, ICP-MS, IC, AA, wet chemistry, and the latest EPA methods. According to the company, products are color-coded by application and indexed by both catalog number and subject.
Inorganic Ventures, Lakewood, NJ; www.inorganicventures.com
Fluorescence lifetime system
The TemPro fluorescence lifetime system from HORIBA Jobin Yvon uses time-correlated single photon counting for measuring fluorescence lifetimes ranging from picoseconds to seconds. The instrument includes a USB 2.0 interface for data transfer and interchangeable pulsed laser diode and LED light sources that cover discrete emission wavelengths from 255 nm to the near-IR range. Options include light sources, polarizers, and extended detection to 850 nm.
HORIBA Jobin Yvon, Edison, NJ; www.jobinyvon.com
Video microscope sampling system
The model BAC151 video microscope sampling system from B&W Tek is compatible with the company's laboratory and industrial Raman probes. The system features a color video camera for alignment and viewing of the measurement field. The system reportedly accepts standard microscope objectives and includes an xyz adjustment stage. According to the company, the system also includes two coaxial or off-axis LED illuminators.
B&W Tek, Inc., Newark, DE; www.bwtek.com
Diamond ATR accessory
The GladiATR diamond ATR accessory from PIKE is available with a liquid crystal sample display that is designed to enable visualization of features from opaque and transparent samples. According to the company, the accessory provides high energy throughput and a wide spectral range and is compatible with most FT-IR spectrometers.
PIKE Technologies, Madison, WI; www.piketech.com
Atomic absorption spectrometers
Thermo Fisher Scientific's iCE 3000 Series of atomic absorption spectrometers has been designed to facilitate prolonged and trouble-free operation and accommodate both flame and furnace analyses. According to the company, the instruments primarily address the analytical needs of users working in food safety as well as environmental, clinical, pharmaceutical, metals, and materials industries.
Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, MA; www.thermofisher.com
Spectroscopy instrumentation catalog
JASCO's updated general catalog features the company's spectroscopy and chromatography instrumentation. The full-color, 32-page catalog includes an expanded section on SFC systems and provides information about the company's in-house and on-site training opportunities and its service and support plans. Spectroscopy products include FT-IR, dispersive Raman, circular dichroism, polarimetry, and fluorescence systems.
JASCO, Inc., Easton, MD; www.jascoinc.com
Optical transmittance spectrometer
The OTS optical transmittance spectrometer from Ocean Optics is designed to measure the tint color, photopic transmittance, and UV cutoff of opthalmic lenses, optical coatings, windows, and optical filters. According to the company, it can also be used to characterize photochromic, electrochromic, and sun-lens materials. The instrument is based on a miniature linear CCD-array spectrometer configured for the 380–780 nm wavelength range and accepts samples with a diameter of 10–76 mm and a thickness of 15 mm.
Ocean Optics, Inc., Dunedin, FL; www.oceanoptics.com
Electron multipliers
Channel and MCP electron multipliers from PHOTONIS are designed to be used at pressures as high as 20 milliTorr in field-portable instruments and homeland security applications. The Magnum electron multiplier cartridge is a one-piece, plug-in replacement designed to fit directly into the mounting assembly for most mass spectrometers. According to the company, the electron multipliers provide a high dynamic range, increased gain stability, and near elimination of ion feedback noise.
PHOTONIS USA, Inc., Sturbridge, MA; www.photonis.com
FT-IR system
Ahura's TruDefender FT is a handheld FT-IR system designed to identify unknown chemicals in the field. Built for first responders, the product complements Ahura Scientific's FirstDefender Raman system to maximize coverage of a broad range of unknown solids, liquids, and mixtures.
Ahura Scientific, Inc., Wilmington, MA; www.ahuracorp.com
Handheld XRF instrument
Bruker's TRACERturboSD handheld X-ray fluorescence instrument include's the company's Xflash silicon drift detector. The unit is designed to provide fast analysis of sophisticated metals such as light element alloys without the use of a vacuum or helium attachment.
Bruker AXS, Kennewick, WA; www.bruker-axs.com/handheld
Spectroscopy catalog
Shimadzu Scientific Instruments' full-color catalog, "Solutions for Spectroscopy," lists products such as UV–vis, FT-IR, fluorescence, ICP, AA, and EDX instruments and software. The 12-page catalog provides a brief description of each product, including the company's UV-1800 UV–vis spectrophotometer.
Shimadzu Scientific Instruments, Inc., Columbia, MD; www.ssi.shimadzu.com
DPSS lasers
Higher power diode-pumped solid-state (DPSS) lasers from CVI Melles Griot include a 50-mW laser at 488 nm and 50- and 75-mW lasers at 561 nm. Diode products at 405, 442, 640, and 660 nm are also available. The lasers are designed for real-time live imaging applications and flow cytometry.
CVI Melles Griot, Carlsbad, CA; www.cvimellesgriot.com
Raman imaging system
Renishaw's StreamLine Plus Raman imaging system is designed to collect spatially resolved chemical information from samples such as pharmaceutical tablets in less than 4 min. According to the company, the system works well with both biological cells and inorganic surfaces and can collect 4000 spectra in less than 1 min. The system includes a real-time image display and is compatible with wavelengths ranging from UV to NIR.
Renishaw plc, New Mills, Wotton-under-Edge, UK; www.renishaw.com/streamline
ICP solvent
PremiSolv ICP solvent from Conostan, a division of SCP Science, is designed to be a zero-odor alternative to kerosene or xylene for use as a diluent and zero-point standard in ICP/DCP analysis. The solvent is available in 1- and 5-gal bottles and includes a certificate of analysis listing 33 elements. According to the company, the solvent can be used for environmental, petrochemical manufacturing, and machinery condition monitoring applications.
SCP Science, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; www.scpscience.com
Miniature UV–vis light source
StellarNet's SL4-DLT miniature UV–vis light source is designed to cover the 200–1700 nm wavelength range in one unit. According to the company, the deuterium–tungsten light source's high output power enables it to be used for reflectance measurements. A shutter button on the front panel blocks light output of both lamps, which reportedly is necessary for dark reference spectrums without turning off the source. The source can be connected to a battery pack for field operations.
StellarNet, Inc., Tampa, FL; www.StellarNet-Inc.com
Raman and fluorescence spectrographs
The Acton LS 785 Series spectrographs from Princeton Instruments include deep-depletion CCD cameras and are available in configurations for high-throughput Raman and fluorescence applications. The spectrographs feature gold-coated gratings and a tunable center wavelength adjustment for laser excitations at wavelengths including 785, 805, and 830 nm. According to the company, the spectrographs' lens sets provide 94% transmission and 65% total system throughput.
Princeton Instruments, Trenton, NJ; www.princetoninstruments.com
Demountable ICP torch
Glass Expansion's demountable torch is designed for use in ICP spectrometers. According to the company, the standard quartz outer tubes can be replaced when worn and the ceramic outer tubes can be used in harsh conditions. The torch is available for specific PerkinElmer and Thermo Fisher Scientific ICP–OES instruments.
Glass Expansion, Inc., Pocasset, MA; www.geicp.com
Mercury analyzer
The Model RA-3000 Gold+AFS mercury analyzer from Nippon Instruments Corporation is designed for EPA Method 1631E, which allows for the determination of mercury at a minimum level of 0.5 parts-per-trillion in water. According to the company, the analyzer simplifies low to sub-parts-per-trillion mercury analysis.
Nippon Instruments North America, College Station, TX; www.hg-nic.us
X-ray source
An 80-kV X-ray source from Spellman High Voltage Electronics is designed to eliminate the need for external high-voltage cabling by integrating the high-voltage power supply, filament power supply, X-ray tube, and control electronics into a single package. The 80-kV, 100-W XRB Monoblock source can be used for applications such as plating measurement, fill-level confirmation, and inspection of food and baggage. The sealed unit reportedly can be mounted in any orientation and is available with options for either a fan-shaped or cone-shaped X-ray beam geometry.
Spellman High Voltage Electronics Corp., Hauppauge, NY; www.spellmanhv.com
Shortwave IR linear array
The LC Series shortwave IR linear array from Sensors Unlimited is designed for imaging applications at wavelengths ranging from 0.9 μm to 2.6 μm. According to the company, the linear array includes no moving parts, can be integrated into existing systems, provides fast signal readout, and can be used for real-time measurement. The linear array reportedly can be used in multichannel spectrometers that require high sensitivity, low power consumption, and long-term stability.
Sensors Unlimited, Inc., part of Goodrich Corporation, Princeton, NJ; www.sensorsinc.com
Spray chambers for ICP
EasySeal cyclonic spray chambers from Meinhard Glass Products are designed for ICP-OES and ICP-MS applications. According to the company, the chambers' threaded PTFE PFA cap facilitates secure nebulizer positioning and eliminates the need for O-rings at the inlet. The spray chambers are available in single- and double-pass versions.
Meinhard Glass Products, Golden, CO; www.meinhard.com
Water isotope analyzer
Picarro's model L1102-I water isotope analyzer is designed for simultaneous measurement of D/H and 18O/16O isotopic ratios. According to the company, the analyzer provides precision of less than 0.1% for δ18O and less than 0.5% for δD. The analyzer reportedly is fully automated and is not susceptible to drift.
Picarro, Sunnyvale, CA; www.picarro.com
Disk mill
Retsch's model RS 200 vibratory disk mill is designed to prepare samples for X-ray fluorescence or similar analyses in 30–180 s. According to the company, the mill's 1.5-kW stabilized plane drive achieves reproducible grind sizes of 40–100 μm. The mill accepts samples as large as 250 mL and has a maximum particle feed size of less than 15 mm. Grinding sets of chrome steel, tungsten carbide, zirconium oxide, and agate are available.
Retsch, Inc., Newtown, PA; www.retsch-us.com
Raman spectrometer
The DXR SmartRaman spectrometer from Thermo Fisher Scientific is designed for quality control laboratories. According to the company, the instrument provides reproducible characterization of materials directly through glass and plastic packaging. The spectrometer is configured with the company's SMART accessories and components that reportedly automatically identify themselves to the system. Method development software is included.
Thermo Fisher Scientific, Madison, WI; www.ramanrevolution.com
Portable Raman instrument
The portable EZRaman-I instrument from Enwave is designed to provide approximately 50 times better sensitivity than most other portable Raman instruments. According to the company, the instrument's spectral resolution is approximately 6 cm–1 and its spectral range is 100–2000 cm–1 .
Enwave Optronics, Inc., Irvine, CA; www.enwaveopt.com
Hard-clad silica fibers
Large-core multimode hard-clad silica and silica/silica fibers from Fiberguide Industries are designed to provide increased fiber strength, reduced static fatigue in humid environments, and robust bonding to prevent pistoning. The fibers are available as hard-clad silica with N.A. of 0.39 and hard-clad silica/silica with N.A. of 0.22.
Fiberguide Industries, Inc., Stirling, NJ; www.fiberguide.com
Wavelength dispersive X-ray spectrometer
Thermo Fisher Scientific's MagnaRay wavelength dispersive X-ray spectrometer automatically combines energy dispersive spectroscopy results with wavelength dispersive spectroscopy operations using an embedded expert system. The instrument is integrated with the company's EDS NORAN System 7 software. According to the company, the spectrometer's design allows it to be used on SEM and FESEM.
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Waltham, MA; www.thermo.com/microanalysis
Platinum shields and guard electrodes
Spectron's Long Life platinum plasma shields and guard electrodes for ICP-MS are designed to be equivalent or superior to OEM shields. According to the company, the shields last longer than those made of nickel, copper, or silver. They are available for various instruments including Finnigan Element and Neptune, VG Axiom, and Agilent 4500 and 7500 systems.
Spectron Inc., Ventura, CA; www.SpectronUS.com
Custom standards
Custom standards from SPEX Certiprep are designed to fit the needs of individual customers. The custom standards are available for most of the company's inorganic products in volumes of 100 mL, 250 mL, 500 mL, and 1 L. Organic custom standards can be supplied in 1.2-mL ampules or any required size. Each custom standard is supplied with a certificate of analysis and MSDS.
Spex CertiPrep, Inc., Metuchen, NJ; www.spexcsp.com
Spectrophotometer kit
The In-Spec Nano-Kit from GFS Chemicals is designed specifically for the short pathlength/small sample spectrophotometers that can be used for DNA/RNA quantification tests. According to the company, the kit comes with two standards that allow users to verify the photometric accuracy of their instrument at 260 nm, 280 nm, and 320 nm.
GFS Chemicals, Inc., Powell, OH; www.gfschemicals.com
Combining SERS and Machine Learning to Advance Single-Cell Analysis
December 13th 2024Researchers from Stanford University have combined surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) with machine learning (ML) to enable rapid, precise single-cell analysis, offering potentially transformative applications in diagnostics and personalized medicine.
Applications and Theories of FTIR and UV-Vis Spectroscopy
December 12th 2024Light is utilized in a wide range of spectroscopic techniques and practices to gain a variety of information about materials and chemicals. These analyses can include material/chemical identification, quantitative analysis, quality control/quality assurance testing, and biological studies, among other applications. Applications, along with sample handling for both FTIR and UV-Vis spectroscopy, will be outlined in this paper.