Fiber optical absorption spectrometer up to 6 OD

The HELIAS opens a new field of absorption measurements for transmissive samples with high absorption. The core component is a patented high-efficiency fiber optical integrator, designed by m-u-t.

It enables customers to perform measurements up to six absorption units without the usually high noise. Helias is available in different versions:

• HELIAS Fiber Optical Integrator
  The light efficiency of the fiber-optical integrator compared to a usual integration sphere is 1,000 to 10,000 times higher.
• HELIAS Spectrometer
  The basic transmission spectrometer consists of fiber optical integrator, double-monochromator, detector and PC system with control and processing software. 
• HELIAS Illumination Kit
  This kit consists of HELIAS & illumination unit. The high-power illumination unit is a xenon light source with a liquid light guide. It can be equipped with different filters placed directly in the light-beam path.
• HELIAS Sample Management System
  HELIAS SMS handles up to 100 sample carriers. A fully automated robotic system removes the samples out of magazines and places them on the measuring spot.
          

The high-efficiency fiber optical integrator, designed and patented by m·u·t, is used in our HELIAS system. It is a totally new development enabling customers to perform measurements up to six absorption units without the usually high noise. It opens a new field of absorption and transmission measurements for transmissive samples with high absorption factors.

Optical integrators, for instance integrating spheres, are based on reflection, which reduces the system’s overall sensitivity. The new fiber optical integrator collects the photons directly but not the reflection. About 500 single fibers are aligned in the shape of a sphere and are focused on the sample area to collect the scattered light. All fibers are bundled and can be fed into any spectrometer system. The light efficiency of the fiber-optical integrator compared to a usual integration sphere is 1,000 to 10,000 times higher.

The specimen is placed on top of the HELIAS fiber optical integrator. The measuring table ensures that the light beam of a Xe-light source is always focused perpendicular to the specimen. The HELIAS measuring table integrates this setup into a compact desktop unit.

The basic HELIAS transmission spectrometer consists of fiber optical integrator, double-monochromator, detector and PC system with control and processing software.

The double-monochromator based spectrometer and the photomultiplier analyze the transmission spectrum of the sample. The double-monochromator provides very low stray light. It is equipped with an adjustable slit for selecting the optical bandwidth.

The systems software controls the HELIAS and the data processing. It provides a variety of mathematical functions. The user can easily perform application-specific calculations on the spectra to use the system in routine measurements. The software is compatible with Windows 2000 and XP. The user-friendly graphical interface provides different display options for the spectra and the data. Further options are data export and macros for automatic data acquisition and storage.

This kit consists of HELIAS spectrometer and a high-power xenon light source A1010 with a liquid light guide. The arc lamp is powered by a separate power supply. The light source needs at least 10 Minutes of operation time to supply constant light. With the integrated shutter the light emission on the probe can be stopped without switching the light source. It can also be used to adjust the exposure time.

The Xenon arc lamp has a continuos spectrum starting at 250 nm. It is very similar to natural sunlight, what makes HELIAS the perfect tool for all sun simulating applications. For most application the requested spectral range is 250 nm – 500 nm. For this reason the HELIAS Illumination kit comes with pre-installed Dichroitic filter that cuts of the spectrum at 500 nm. The light source can be equipped with additional filters by an integrated optical bench very easily.

HELIAS SMS handles up to 100 sample carriers and is controlled by the HELIAS system software. The automated process enables even time consuming measurements with long integration times without operator.

These measurements can be performed over night. Up to 100 prepared samples are stored in magazines for automatic handling.
 
A robot system takes the samples from the magazine and places them on the fiber-optical integrator. After the measurement the samples are returned to the magazine automatically.

For each sample the systems wavelength range and exposure time can be adapted in order to individual requests of every experimental application. E.g. with a smaller wavelength range the optical resolution is improved. Aging phenomena can easily be studied by variation of the exposure time.