Mini Spectrometer Handles Visible Light Applications

The C10988MA spectrometer measures only 27.6 by 13 by 16.8 mm and weighs 9 g, making it well-suited for use in portable and hand-held devices where a standard mini-spectrometer would be too large and consume too much power. Using several novel MOEMS techniques, the C10988MA offers a spectral resolution of 12 nm in the range of visual light range of 340 nm to 750 nm. The new device uses an aberration-corrected concave grating with a very short focal length, and a blazed grating profile for high diffraction efficiency. The grating is replicated onto the top of a convex glass lens using nano-print technology. Directly opposite the grating is a dedicated CMOS silicon image sensor with an on-chip slit. This 75-µm by 750-µm slit is formed into the CMOS chip using MEMS technology. The distance between the sensor and slit is only 1 mm, while the grating-to-image-sensor distance a only 8.5 mm. HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS UK LTD., Welwyn Garden City, Hertsfordshire, UK. +44-(0) 1707-294888.