Signal-balancing technique is scaleable to large-volume spectrometer

Ocean Optics (Dunedin, FL) has developed a proprietary light shaping technique for its spectrometers that balances and smoothes the uneven spectral emission from UV-Vis light sources used for spectroscopy applications in the life sciences. As a result, users can measure light more evenly across a broader spectral region to improve signal-to-noise performance. The technique is especially useful for spectral absorbance applications where strong absorbing bands coexist with bands of low signal in the unbalanced spectrum. This low signal level limits the maximum measurable optical density. The patented and proprietary spectral shaping technique modifies the light internal to the spectrometer so that specific wavelengths or wavelength bands are selectively attenuated, facilitating optimization of spectrometer setup in concert with the light source.