Ocean Optics News - from Halma PR - visit www.oceanoptics.com

Versatile InGaAs-array spectrometer for a host of applications from 900-2500 nm 
Dunedin, FL (September 23, 2009) – A high-performance optical bench, low-noise electronics and various wavelength range options make the NIRQuest Spectrometer from Ocean Optics (www.oceanoptics.com) versatile enough for NIR applications ranging from moisture detection and chemical analysis to high-resolution laser and optical fiber characterization. This robust, plug-and-play spectrometer is available in versions for 900-1700 nm, 900-2050 nm and 900-2500 nm coverage.

NIRQuest uses a high-performance Indium Gallium Arsenide (InGaAs)-array detector in a compact optical bench with thermoelectric cooler and low-noise electronics. A high gain mode option improves system sensitivity for low light-level and low-concentration measurements. In addition, integration times as rapid as 1 ms are possible.

NIRQuest’s modular design and new grating options deliver more customization for a wider variety of applications: moisture analysis in grains and cereals; chemical analysis of blood and tissue; bacterial detection in food and beverage production; nitrogen content monitoring of plants and soils; and chemical composition of pharmaceuticals. A special grating option and external triggering are useful tools for high-resolution (to 0.25 nm FWHM) laser characterization. NIRQuest Spectrometers are also available for integration into OEM devices.

The NIRQuest uses SpectraSuite Spectrometer Operating Software – a modular, Java-based spectroscopy platform that operates in Windows, Mac OS and Linux operating systems. Plus, NIRQuest 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.

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Dunedin, FL (September 1, 2009) – To better serve its growing global OEM business, Ocean Optics, the industry leader in miniature photonics, has formed a dedicated OEM engineering group.  This group provides expert integration support to optimize and expedite the commercialization efforts of both new and established OEM customers.  These services are extended to all OEMs whether they contract directly with Ocean Optics, or purchase through local distribution channels.

The OEM team brings together expertise across disciplines, including PhD level optical and biochemistry engineering; physics; electrical engineering; mechanical engineering; and software development.  With extensive experience in optical design and applications such as blood chemistry analysis, the team is poised to address any mechanical, software, optical, or electronic integration need. 

The company’s vertically integrated product line enables the OEM team to offer complete system design capability for OEMs from supply of fiber assemblies and light sources, to coatings and sample holders.  This is especially useful for OEMs with limited resources, and has proven very time- and cost-effective for OEMs requiring a fast track solution. 

Ocean Optics provides integrated system and sub-system manufacturing, inventory control of customer owned material, lean manufacturing practices such as Kanban releases for JIT shipment, and is ISO 9001:2008 certified.  The company currently ships close to 20,000 spectrometers per year with the capacity to more than double that amount.

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Dunedin, FL (July 31, 2009) –Ocean Optics, the industry leader in miniature photonics, has achieved ISO 9001:2008 certification applicable to the design and manufacture of electro-optical equipment. 

The company’s quality management system was audited by National Quality Assurance, U.S.A. and found to be in compliance with the provisions of the ISO 9001:2008 standards.  ISO 9001:2008 certification ensures that a company has met a comprehensive set of standards dictated by the International Standards Organization (ISO) covering all aspects of the business: design, development, sales, manufacturing, and service.

The audit evaluated Ocean Optics’ procedures for quality assurance, production, continuous improvement, performance to customer expectation, internal audits, contract review and purchasing.  The audit preparation was a company-wide initiative led by Donna Salamida, ISO Implementation Manager.

“Everyone at Ocean Optics had contributions to make-both great and small,” said Salamida. “The team work paid off and our customers will be the first to benefit.”

“While we’ve always made the quality of our products and meeting customer expectations a priority, we welcomed the opportunity that certification presented to benchmark our processes versus known industry best practice. This caused us to improve and upgrade many aspects of our business in handling all aspects of the customer,” said Ocean Optics President Rob Randelman “Continuously improving not only the product offering, but the entire customer experience is one key to driving lasting sustainable growth for our company.  Earning the ISO 9001:2008 certification assures our customers of the commitment we have to serving them well.”

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QE65000 used in detection units being tested for public security applications
Dunedin, FL (July 15, 2009) – Ocean Optics, the industry leader in miniature photonics, has supplied ten QE65000 scientific grade spectrometers to the Third Research Institute of the Ministry of Public Security, Shanghai.  The spectrometers have been integrated into demo units of the AY01-01 Rapid Liquid Contraband Detector which uses Raman spectrometry to detect a number of liquid and crystal contraband substances.

Currently deployed in various airport locations and border crossings with Vietnam, the QE65000 enables the AY01-01 to detect explosives, drugs, dangerous chemicals and other hazardous liquids or transparent crystals.  The device is currently capable of differentiating between up to 200 different compounds, with the speed and accuracy of Raman spectroscopy.  Its use is expected to expand beyond airports and borders to large public gatherings such as conferences and sporting events. Unlimited language options make it suited to global use.

When choosing a spectrometer for the AY01-01, performance, speed and accuracy were the Institute’s highest priorities.  As it will be used by security and event personnel to screen thousands of people in a short period of time, it was critical that the device be very fast, simple, and convenient to operate with minimal training. 

The highly-sensitive QE65000 modular spectrometer can achieve up to 90% quantum efficiency (defined as how efficiently a photon is converted to a photoelectron) with high signal-to-noise and rapid signal processing speed.  Its high-speed electronics have been designed for considerable flexibility in connecting to various modules and external interfaces through USB 2.0 (backwards compatible to USB 1.1) or RS-232 communications.  It is a popular choice for Raman analysis and other low-light level applications such as fluorescence, DNA sequencing, thin film reflectivity and astronomy.

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Catch a webcast featuring Scott Parazynski and Keith Cowing at
Mount Everest, using the Ocean Optics Jaz for UV Light analysis.

http://tinyurl.com/npaa3j

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Ocean Optics Spectrometer launched on NASA LCROSS Mission
Dunedin, FL (June 19, 2009) – A custom-engineered spectrometer from Ocean Optics, part of the scientific payload on NASA’s Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) mission, was successfully launched into space Thursday from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.  “ALICE,” as the spectrometer is affectionately known, was drafted for the mission to help analyze the makeup of the lunar craters, with the goal of locating water below the moon’s surface.

The Centaur rocket carrying LCROSS is expected to reach the moon next week and the two will remained coupled for the next four months-until the next exciting phase in the mission, scheduled for October 9, 2009. The units will then separate, sending the rocket crashing into the moon at more than twice the speed of a bullet. After the rocket impact, expected to generate a 2.2 million-pound plume of matter, another spacecraft carrying ALICE will fly through, looking for signs of water and other compounds. 

In partnership with Aurora Design & Technology (www.AuroraDesignTech.com), whose work included development of the reflectance viewing optics for the mission, Ocean Optics adapted its highly-sensitive QE65000 Spectrometer to survive the harsh conditions of this mission – extreme temperature ranges and radiation, as well as significant shock and vibration. 

ALICE will measure the reflectivity of the ejecta cloud as it rises into the sunlight, enabling scientists to distinguish between water vapor, water ice, and hydrated minerals (such as salts or clays) with molecularly bound water.  With a wavelength range of 270-650 nm and an optical resolution of less than 1.0 nm, ALICE will be able to identify, with a high degree of accuracy, ionized water (visible at 619 nm), OH radicals (visible at 308 nm) and other organic molecules containing carbon.  Though the measurements are to be taken from the dark region of the moon where light is scarce, the unit’s back-thinned detector makes the most of the light available.

Water hidden deep in the moon’s craters could mean drinking water or even the ability to break down the hydrogen and oxygen molecules into rocket fuel, laying the foundation for the moon as a staging point for further space exploration.  The progress of ALICE and LCROSS can be tracked on the mission’s website, http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LCROSS/main/index.html.

This is the second NASA collaboration for Ocean Optics.  A unit designed around the company’s HR-Series spectrometers will be part of the 2009 ChemCam Mars mission to study rock and soil composition on the red planet.

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Sensing suite used in UV measurement experiments on Earth’s highest mountain
Dunedin, FL (June 9, 2009) – Ocean Optics (www.oceanoptics.com), the industry leader in miniature spectroscopy, recently provided a Jaz Modular Sensing Suite to the trek crew of Return to Everest 2009 – a crew including Keith Cowing, Miles O’Brien, NASA astronaut Scott Parazynski, and others – to measure solar irradiance at extreme altitude.

Jaz was utilized to determine UV intensity levels in the Everest region where levels are typically extremely high.  The handheld Jaz unit that accompanied the Back to Everest 2009 group included solar irradiance scripting language, an SD card for storage of spectra and Jaz’s lithium-ion battery.

The participants used Jaz to measure solar irradiance with a focus on UV levels at an extreme altitude. It is suggested that UV levels on Everest should be among the highest on Earth and Jaz was used to perform analysis of the nature of the sunlight during the experiment phase of the summit.  The amazing expedition was completed successfully on Monday, May 25.

Jaz performs in a number of challenging applications-its compact, handheld design makes it ideal for fieldwork, even in challenging environments like the world’s highest mountain.  Its portability was especially important for the Everest expedition as equipment had to be packed in by the climbers during the arduous ascent. The unit is also flexible enough to be configured with multiple spectrometer channels for process management, quality control and life sciences applications as well.

Jaz’s family of stackable, modular and autonomous components share common electronics and communications. Included in the Jaz stack is a CCD-array spectrometer that can be optimized for a variety of radiometric measurements and a microprocessor with onboard display. Unlike traditional light meters, Jaz allows users to capture, process and store full spectra without the need for a PC.  Spectral data can be transferred to a laptop or desktop PC for additional post-acquisition processing, such as calculating color temperature, spectral intensity and color space values.

To learn more about Jaz visit www.oceanoptics.com/products/jaz.asp or contact Ocean Optics at +1 727-733-2447 for additional information.

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Optical sensing pioneer’s offerings ideal for monitoring solar panel manufacture and panel operating conditions
Dunedin, FL (April 29, 2009) – Now available from Ocean Optics is a complete line of optical-sensing systems and components that addresses the needs of the growing market for photovoltaic solar cells – from characterization of the thin films comprising such cells to measurement of the spectral output of solar simulators.

Ocean Optics is the inventor of the world’s first miniature fiber optic spectrometer and a pioneer in optical sensing solutions. Its extensive line of low-cost, small-footprint modular spectrometers and accessories can be configured for millions of different UV-Vis-NIR applications. In particular, users can mix and match spectrometers and accessories to monitor photovoltaic thin films used in the manufacture and assembly of solar panels and to measure the spectral output of both the sun and radiant sources such as solar simulators. 

For solar cell production, Ocean Optics spectrometers can be configured for thin film thickness measurement and endpoint detection – important quality control parameters that can assist manufacturers in reducing waste, eliminating off-specification product and increasing yield.  For many manufacturers, small savings or improvements in processes can drive the difference between being successful versus merely surviving in such a competitive market.

Ocean Optics spectrometers, including the company’s flagship USB4000-series spectrometers and the new Jaz modular sensing suite (www.thejazclub.com), are also particularly valuable in monitoring the absolute and relative spectral irradiance of both the sun and artificial sunlight sources such as solar simulators. With the former, measurement of solar characteristics (the sun’s spectral output at various wavelengths and under varying conditions) can help solar system installers position photovoltaic panels most effectively. With solar simulators, the value is in monitoring how reliably the simulators mimic the sun’s light in various environments. Indeed, the promise of simulators is in making it possible to test solar panels and other components inexpensively, so accurate output of such simulators is critical.

Fully integrated Ocean Optics spectrometer systems for most systems designed to measure photovoltaic thin films or the spectral output of solar simulators are available for well under $10,000. Applications Scientists are available for consultation on the optimum setup for each application. Contact Ocean Optics for more information.

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Absolute-irradiance and scripting language options increase range of possible applications for modular field portable spectrometer
Dunedin, FL (April 6, 2009) –Ocean Optics, the industry leader in miniature photonics, has increased the usability and flexibility of its Jaz modular optical sensing platform with two new software options, the Jaz-IRRAD for irradiance measurements and the Jaz Scripting Language for building custom applications.  The modular design of the Jaz family allows it to be customized for a range of applications in field, lab or process environments.  With the new software options, users will be able to further tailor measurements to their requirements, without any special programming knowledge.

With Jaz-IRRAD absolute irradiance measurement software, the handheld Jaz transforms into a dedicated light meter, allowing users to measure calibrated absolute irradiance without any need for an external computer. Characteristics such as color temperature, spectral intensity and color space values of LEDs, radiant sources and the sun are captured with just 3 pushes of a button.  Data captured can be post processed to the intensity parameter of choice-Watts/cm2, lumen, luz, PAR, or any other light intensity parameter.

The Jaz Scripting Language offers nearly endless possibilities for creating custom applications.  This powerful tool is simple enough for non-programmers to build measurement sequences into a self-contained application.  Operations such as measuring the sugar content of a liquid, or expressing reflected color in colorspace values such as L*a*b*, can be designed and tested on a PC and loaded onto the Jaz for execution.

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Spin-off becomes part of the Health Optics & Photonics Division of Halma p.l.c.
Dunedin, FL (March 30, 2009) –Ocean Optics, the industry leader in miniature photonics, announces that its Thin Films Division has now become a separate company. Ocean Thin Films (www.oceanthinfilms.com), as the new entity will be known, designs and manufactures patented dichroic filters and precision optics for scientific, biomedical and defense applications, metrology and entertainment technology. 

Established in 1999 as a division within Ocean Optics, Ocean Thin Films designs and produces high-volume dichroic optical filters, which are used to selectively transmit light according to its wavelength. These precision filters and other optical components can be integrated into applications such as color-changing light for architectural and entertainment installations, CCD camera and spectral imaging for scientific instrumentation, and targeting for defense applications. In November 2008, Ocean Thin Films acquired the Golden, Colo., operation of Oerlikon Optics USA, which bolstered the company’s offering in optical components and subassemblies for instrumentation used in the life sciences, medical applications and additional scientific applications.

“We are excited by the challenges and opportunities of operating as our own company,” said Phil Buchsbaum, President of Ocean Thin Films. “With the additional expertise and capacity the Oerlikon acquisition affords us, plus recent expansion of our Florida facility, we are ready to hit the ground running with a new generation of quality, innovative optical and thin film products for a diverse range of industries.”

Ocean Thin Films has 110 employees, with locations in Golden, Colo., and a recently expanded 30,000-square-foot facility in Largo, Fla. The group utilizes advanced lithography equipment and vacuum deposition systems to provide optimal patterned solutions for both production and prototype optical systems.

Ocean Thin Films is part of Halma p.l.c.’s group of photonics companies, joining Ocean Optics, Labsphere, Inc., Fiberguide Industries and Palintest Ltd.  For more information, contact 727.545.0741 or Info@oceanthinfilms.com or visit www.oceanthinfilms.com.

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