Spectroscopy - May 2008 - (Page 18)

18 SPECTROSCOPY GLOBAL EDITION MAY 2008 Raman spectrometer systems that were originally developed for field-based military applications. A relatively new company, Enwave Optronics (Irvine, California), has introduced a series of cost-effective Raman instruments that start in the under-$10K mark. Enwave introduced a series of relatively small (4 in. 6.5 in. 8.25 in. being the smallest), cost-effective units presented with a small laptop with the same footprint. The most compact and least expensive was the EZRAMAN-LE, which provides 10-cm 1 resolution (spectral range of 150–3300 cm 1). Over the years, we have learned in both infrared and Raman that many practical applications of the techniques simply do not need highresolution spectral data. For those requiring (or maybe perceiving to require) better resolution, there is the EZRAMAN-M, which offers 5-cm 1 resolution (spectral range 100 cm–3300 cm 1). These instruments are described as being fieldportable, and they weigh in at a mere 6 lb. A 5-h battery system is offered for field portability. My guess is that the weight does not include the battery. Another company that has been involved in the world of smaller, costreduced Raman instruments for a few years now is B&W Tek (Newark, Delaware). This company offers basic spectrometers, detectors, and also fully integrated Raman systems. Three products displayed at Pittcon were the BTC161E/162E series of highthroughput, thermoelectric cooled chargecoupled-device (CCD) spectrometers, intended as OEM building blocks and ideal for Raman; the BTR113A MiniRam II, a fully integrated Raman system; and the itrometer, a miniature back-thinned CCD spectrometer. The Raman system provides a 10-cm 1 resolution with a spectral range of 175–3150 cm 1. The standard laser wavelength is 785 nm, although 473 nm, 532 nm, and custom wavelengths are available. The system measures 10.1 in. 8.3 in. 4.5 in. and weighs 6.8 lb, making it a good candidate as a portable system (a battery pack is included). Sampling-wise it provides fiber-optic interfacing as well as a plug-in cuvette-style interface. DeltaNu (Laramie, Wyoming), a company also specializing in small-scale Raman systems, introduced a “milestone” product called the ReporteR. This system is a Raman instrument that is packaged in two different colored housings. The red one is for law enforcement applications, and a yellow version is intended for more general materials characterization and identification, such as for plastics and polymers. The instrument is fully integrated 3 in. 1.75 in. package into a 6 in. 11 oz, and is powered by a 4-h weighing rechargeable battery. The law enforcement version provides different modes of measurement for the surface measurement of materials and for samples contained in vials (for liquids and solids). It operates in real-time to provide an identification of an unknown illicit substance based on an internally stored library. Princeton Instruments (Trenton, New Jersey) is a company whose name has been

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Spectroscopy - May 2008 Contents A Pragmatic Approach to Managing Interferences in ICP-MS Pittcon 2008: Back to New Orleans and Coffee and Beignets for Breakfast News Market Profile Calendar

Spectroscopy - May 2008

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