The Ocean Optics SteadiQ stabilizes temperature effects for accurate spectrometer performance.

Available in both UV (200-1100 nm) and Vis-NIR (400-2500 nm) versions, the SteadiQ interfaces directly with Ocean Optics’ USB2000+, USB4000, HR2000+, HR4000, Maya2000, Maya2000 Pro, QE65000, and NIRQuest spectrometers.  In extreme hot or extreme cold conditions, the unit operates independently from outside temperatures.  It connects easily to the spectrometer with preconfigured plug-ins and communicates via the spectrometer’s USB port.

Guan Haisen uses an Ocean Optics LIBS system to examine an antique vase.

Ocean Optics’ LIBS system uses a laser to ‘burn’ away a very tiny area (invisible to the naked eye) of the object under test, causing a plasma to form.  The plasma is then analyzed for the key elements of interest, such as chemicals used to simulate the process of aging.  The entire test takes less than 30 seconds. 

Currently, the ceramics examination industry in China relies heavily on the appraiser’s knowledge and experience. LIBS analysis brings a level of technical accuracy to antique identification.  Haisen uses LIBS to augment his extensive expertise and obtain the most accurate results.  His goal is to make this type of scientific verification a standard practice.

In selecting a system for this relatively new application, the accuracy of the spectrometer and software were absolutely vital to Haisen.  Portability and accuracy in the field were also important considerations as the appraiser often travels to the object rather than ship delicate items to the lab.  In addition, Ocean Optics’ flexibility enabled Haisen to design a new configuration of the LIBS system-basically an entirely new product specifically for his needs. 

Ocean Optics LIBS systems are used in a wide variety of other applications, such as RoHS screening, gem origin determination, and elemental determinations in mixed powders.

About Guan Haisen and Beijing Antiques City
Guan Haisen is a nationally recognized expert in distinguishing fake antiques, particularly ceramics. He has published a number of books and papers on the subject, and has appeared on numerous televisions shows, including the Chinese equivalent of Antiques Roadshow.  His shop, Guanhaisen Appraises Antique Technical Company, is located in the new state-owned Beijing Antique City (Beijing, China).  The four story building is the largest Chinese antique trade center in Asia, handling thousands of antiques including paintings, calligraphic works, jewelry and jade goods from over 600 dealers.

New SpectraSuite-PAR software from Ocean Optics allows users of the company’s miniature spectrometers to easily calculate Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) for plant analysis.

In addition to calculating total PAR, SpectraSuite-PAR allows users to define up to five “wavelength bins” (the range of wavelengths to be covered in each data bin), which can be correlated to different phases of plant growth. For example, a bin can be configured over the 400-480 nm range to capture the effects of the blue region of the spectrum, which is typically associated with early stages of plant growth. Also, customers can calculate both the percentage of light in each bin and the red/far red ratio, a parameter associated with plant development and structure.

SpectraSuite-PAR is a particularly powerful analytical tool when used as part of a field-portable Jaz sensing system configured for horticultural applications. Jaz is a family of modular, stackable components — a typical setup for field use is about the size of a few decks of cards — that share common electronics and communications. At its heart is a miniature CCD-array spectrometer, or light measuring device, available with user-selected grating and slit options optimized for a variety of optical sensing application needs. Also incorporated into the Jaz stack is a powerful microprocessor and onboard display with data logging capability, so that full spectra data can be acquired, processed and stored to an SD card without the need for a PC. Jaz irradiance measurement software is also available and nicely complements the SpectraSuite-PAR functions.

SpectraSuite is the standard operating software for Ocean Optics spectrometers. The modular, Java-based spectroscopy software platform operates on Windows, Macintosh and Linux operating systems. The SpectraSuite interface is virtually identical on all operating systems yet retains the familiar appearance of an application native to each OS. SpectraSuite has a wide range of standard functions, from managing multiple USB spectrometers and identifying center wavelength and other peak metrics to calculating color parameters such as CIE illuminants and Color Rendering Index and measuring photometric values such as luminous flux and photopic standard observer functions.

BlueLight’s MARC system uses an Ocean Optics USB4000 spectrometer to accurately measure the output from dental curing lights.

MARC measures the useful energy a simulated resin restoration receives from a dental curing light, a procedure that is affected by the location of the tooth, the type of resin used, the output of the curing light and the accuracy of the practitioner. Too much or too little exposure of the curing light to the restoration can lessen the lifetime of the filling and potentially damage the tooth.  With the MARC system, which includes a laboratory-grade NIST-referenced USB4000 Spectrometer, dental researchers, educators, manufacturers and clinicians can more accurately measure the irradiance (in mW/cm2) and energy per unit area (in J/cm2) delivered by various curing lights in the hands of different dental professionals.

Slightly larger than a mobile phone, the miniature fiber optic USB4000 Spectrometer uses a 3648-element Toshiba linear CCD array detector and high speed electronics. For the MARC system, the spectrometer has been spectroradiometrically calibrated using Ocean Optics’ NIST-traceable light source (300-1050 nm). MARC also uses the CC3-UV Cosine Corrector to collect radiation over 180º field of view. This collection device helps mitigate the effects of optical interference associated with light collection sampling geometry – for example, the distance of the light to the restoration.

According to Colin Deacon, president and CEO of BlueLight, the potential impact of MARC is great, with 130 million restorations performed each year in the U.S. alone. Selection of the optimum spectrometer manufacturer for the project was critical. “We chose Ocean Optics because of its superior products and customer service,” said Deacon. “We tried some other manufacturers, but there is no question why Ocean Optics is the most widely used and respected manufacturer of miniature spectrometers in the industry.”

In developing MARC, BlueLight worked closely with Ocean Optics’ OEM Engineering Team, which helps OEM customers bring products to market faster and better optimized to commercial requirements. The team offers complete system design capability for OEMs from supply of fiber assemblies and light sources to sensor coatings and sample holders. Ocean Optics is ISO 9001:2008 certified and can support both integrated system and sub-system manufacturing needs. Additional information about the team’s capabilities is available at www.OceanOEM.com.

Ocean Optics’ NIRQuest512-2.2 near-infrared spectrometer features a small footprint with response from 900-2200 nm.

NIRQuest512-2.2 uses a high-stability, 512-element Hamamatsu Indium Gallium Arsenide (InGaAs)-array detector in a compact optical bench with two-stage thermoelectric cooler and low-noise electronics. Depending on the configuration – a half-dozen grating options and five sizes of optical bench entrance slits are available – optical resolution of ~0.5 nm-5.0 nm (FWHM) is possible. Higher-resolution setups are especially useful for characterizing lasers.

External hardware triggering functions allow users to capture data when an external event occurs, or to trigger an event after data acquisition. This capability can be especially useful for capturing data from automated processes or from devices such as solar simulators that flash synchronously.

The SpectraSuite Operating Software used by the spectrometer is a modular, Java-based spectroscopy platform that operates in Windows, Mac OS and Linux operating systems. In addition, NIRQuest512-2.2 can be bundled with the Remora Network Adapter from Ocean Optics to turn the system into a multi-user spectral data server over Ethernet or your existing Wi-Fi connection.

With the addition of the NIRQuest512-2.2, Ocean Optics now offers NIR spectrometer options with spectral response from 900-1700 nm, 900-2050 nm, 900-2200 nm and 900-2500 nm. Multiple grating, optical bench and accessory options make it possible to configure a NIRQuest system for a variety of applications in medical diagnostics, food and beverage monitoring, pharmaceuticals analysis, environmental monitoring, process control and more.

Sandhouse Design, LLC, based in Dunedin, Florida, has developed over the past four years a novel line of high-powered LED light sources designed for research and spectroscopic applications. In addition, Sandhouse offers small scanning infrared spectrometers in wavelength ranges from 900-8000 nm. Sandhouse products have been widely accepted in biotechnology, process control and industrial applications.

Ocean Optics will manufacture the new product line out of its ISO9001:2008 certified manufacturing facility in Winter Park, Florida, and handle sales and support via the company’s regional sales offices in the Americas, Europe and Asia. Ocean Optics will support existing Sandhouse customers immediately.

“The Sandhouse product line complements and expands what we offer today,” said Rob Randelman, Ocean Optics President. “This acquisition allows us to offer additional solutions for our customers in new and existing markets in research and industry, and enhances our offering to OEM customers across a wide range of application needs. We’re confident our customers will be well served by the breadth and variety of our product offering.”

With the addition of the Sandhouse line, the Ocean Optics product offering will be close to 1,700 spectrometers, sensors, light sources and accessories. The company has sold more than 150,000 spectrometers for over 10,000 applications in many diverse markets.

“Ocean Optics is a leader in photonics technologies and will serve our customers well,” said Brian Rogers, president of Sandhouse LLC. “We’re happy that the novel technologies we’ve created have found a terrific home at Ocean Optics.”

Beginning July 1, 2010, spectrometers, light sources and sampling accessories purchased from Ocean Optics and its authorized distributors are now covered for a full three years against manufacturing defects – regardless of application.  Additionally, items such as optical fibers and probes are now covered for a full 12 months.

Ocean Optics’ warranty covers parts and labor needed to repair manufacturing defects that occur during the coverage period, as well as the costs of shipping warranty-related repairs from U.S. customers to Ocean Optics and from Ocean Optics back to the customers.

To learn more about Ocean Optics’ warranty programs visit the company’s website at www.oceanoptics.com/warranty.asp .

Halma’s subsidiaries operate in three main market sectors: Health and Analysis (which includes Halma’s photonics companies), Infrastructure Sensors, and Industrial Safety, creating shareholder value with consistent organic growth and sound acquisitions. Halma companies operate as independent entities under the day-to-day direction of their local management, while reaping the capital and network benefits of a larger multi-national parent.

The company is seeking successful and profitable companies that are closely allied to any of its current market sectors although photonics is a particular focus.  It has $150m earmarked for acquisitions.

Halma’s photonics companies are established brands with market-leading technologies and products, which range from spectrometers to complementary technologies such as chemical sensors, analytical instrumentation, optical fibers, thin films and optics. The scope of applications is vast, from cancer detection to specialized architectural and theater lighting filters.

“We are proud of the success our companies have attained and really excited about the continuing opportunities within the photonics industries,” explains Adam Meyers, Divisional Chief Executive of Halma’s Health Optics & Photonics Division.  “Halma is a terrific home for a growing company whose management desires a broader set of partners to collaborate with, readily available capital, and support to help drive their people, products and technologies to reach their fullest potential.”

To present potential acquisitions opportunities, please contact Adam Meyers, Divisional Chief Executive, (adam.meyers@halma.com), Tel: +1 973 263 9962.

The project has special significance to Ocean Optics as the company is located on the Gulf side of Florida and its community will be affected in coming months as the oil advances, upsetting both water and air quality. 

The HR2000 High-resolution Miniature Fiber Optic Spectrometer is a small-footprint spectrometer that provides optical resolution to 0.035 nm (FWHM). The modular spectrometer design allows users to select optical bench options such as the detector, grating and entrance aperture (slit).

Argos custom-configured the HR2000 spectrometer used in its portable UV DOAS air monitoring system.  In the Gulf, the system has already analyzed a number of environmental samples, containing a mixture of oil and sea water, from the spill area.  Vapor analyzed from the samples indicate the presence of two gases with unique UV spectral features being emitted from the samples.  The data from these initial investigations will be used to update the system’s spectral libraries.  A UV DOAS system has been set up in Mississippi for continuous monitoring, with real time data posted at: http://fenceline.org/test/map.php. 

UV absorbance spectra from clean air samples and samples taken from the Gulf of Mexico after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

A second Argos system has been sent to the University of North Alabama, where a calibration and test facility has been established to accommodate future samples associated with the oil and dispersant material collected by community members in the Gulf area.

About Ocean Optics
Headquartered in Dunedin, Fla., Ocean Optics is a leading supplier of solutions for optical sensing – fundamental methods of measuring and interpreting the interaction of light with matter.  Its Ocean OEM engineering team provides expert integration support to optimize and expedite OEM commercialization efforts.  With locations in Asia and Europe, the company has sold more than 120,000 spectrometers worldwide since 1992. The Ocean Optics line of complementary technologies includes chemical sensors, analytical instrumentation, optical fibers, thin films and optics.  The company is part of the Halma group of safety and detection companies.

About Argos Scientific
Argos Scientific (www.argos-sci.com) is an environmental and natural resource company with over 25 years experience. The company specializes in air quality management, environmental permitting and compliance, leak detection and repair, ambient air monitoring and stack monitoring. The company serves both public and private clients who are faced with challenges that demand a multidisciplinary approach with practical solutions.  The technical staff includes professionals from the oil and chemical industry, former regulatory specialists, environmental scientists, certified industrial hygienists and chemists.

Ocean Optics’ spectral shaping technology is applied to a miniature spectrometer optical design to balance the uneven spectral emission from UV-Vis light sources used for spectroscopy applications.

Traditionally, the spiky spectral output of a lamp – i.e., distinguished by sharp and narrow peaks – of light sources used in spectroscopy is handled at the source itself. But methods such as using mechanical fixtures or optical filters at the light source can result in greater light loss and may be too expensive or impractical, especially when instrument to instrument uniformity is desired. The patented and proprietary Ocean Optics spectral shaping technique modifies the light internal to the spectrometer so that specific wavelengths or wavelength bands are selectively attenuated. This makes it easier to optimize the spectrometer setup in concert with the light source.

The Ocean Optics OEM Engineering Team is now able to apply this novel spectral shaping technique to a variety of OEM applications. This dedicated engineering group provides expert support to help OEM customers bring products to market faster and better optimized to commercial requirements. The team offers complete system design capability for OEMs from supply of fiber assemblies and light sources to sensor coatings and sample holders. The company is ISO 9001:2008 certified and can support both integrated system and sub-system manufacturing needs. Additional information is available at www.OceanOEM.com.