High-Sensitivity Spectrometer Ideal for Low Light Level, UV-Sensitive Applications

Ocean Optics has added triggering functions to its Maya2000 Pro back-thinned CCD miniature spectrometer to  provide accurate timing and synchronisation between the spectrometer and other devices. Three low-jitter trigger and normal operating modes are now possible. Applications include pulsing a light source to occur when acquiring a spectra and synchronising spectral acquisition to coordinate with samples moving through a process stream or sensors reaching a certain temperature level.

In addition to triggering, Ocean Optics has enhanced Maya2000 Pro performance with support for RS-232  communications and improved optoelectronics that increase dynamic range (to 15000:1), lower trigger jitter (to 100 ns) and decrease dark noise (to 6 RMS counts).

Triggering provides precise timing between devices. The Maya2000 Pro can be triggered so that sending the spectrometer a pulse causes it to do something such as turn off or on a light, activate a pulse in a pulsed light source or start or end spectral acquisition in the spectrometer. For example, in the  External Triggering mode, an event outside the sampling system (such as a button push, lever activation or laser) electronically pulses the spectrometer’s trigger pin and starts acquisition of the spectra with microsecond accuracy.

The Maya2000 Pro has a 30-pin connector and 10 user-programmable digital I/Os. Its enhanced onboard programmable high-speed FPGA controller enables triggering and provides other performance advantages. Available operating modes are Normal (spectrometer continuously acquires spectra) and the three trigger modes: External Hardware Level Trigger; External Synchronous Trigger; and External Hardware Edge Trigger.

The Maya2000 Pro is a back-thinned 2D FFT-CCD spectrometer with high sensitivity, 75% peak quantum efficiency and excellent UV response. Maya2000 Series spectrometers are ideal for low light-level applications such as fluorescence, DNA sequencing and measurement of certain biological samples. The spectrometer can be used in the VUV (to ~150 nm) with the addition of a nitrogen purgebox to help lessen the absorption of water and oxygen in the VU.