When it comes to infrared spectroscopy applications, optical fibers offer unique flexibility in carrying light from source to sample and back to detector. They are versatile tools that can consist of a single cable, or be made into a bundle designed e.g. for diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (diffuse reflectance probe). Due to their compactness, Arcoptix� FTIRs use smaller optics than most systems, which make them well optimized for optical fibers or bundle having a core diameter ranging from a few hundreds of �m to a few mm.
Arcoptix fiber coupled FTIR model FTMIR-FC-120-4TENear infrared fibered systems rely on ultra-low-loss fused silica optical fibers. The excellent performances of these fibered paired with the high sensitivity of the InGaAs photodetectors integrated to our FT-NIR spectrometers makes it possible to achieve high quality measuring systems, while taking full advantage of the flexibility offered by optical fibers. For that reason, the vast majority of our NIR products (instruments or accessories) are fibered based. The building blocks of a fully functional setup are:
Arcoptix offers two NIR light sources. The ARCLIGHT-NIR is a multi-purpose light source featuring a QTH bulb that delivers a controlled, stable output. It is provided with a removable fiber coupler and can be connected to any SMA905 connectorized optical fiber or fiber bundle.
The ARCSPHERE-NIR is a fibered integrating sphere with internal illumination. Compared to a passive integrating sphere, the internal illumination offers a significantly larger signal. The ARCSPHERE-NIR was designed for diffuse reflectance measurements in the NIR, and can be simply connected to one of our FT-NIR spectrometers to achieve high quality, reproducible diffuse reflectance measurements on a variety of solid samples or powders.
ARCLIGHT-NIR (top) ARCSPHERE-NIR (bottom)Arcoptix offers several types of optical fibers and fibered accessories to perform various measurements. The Arcoptix CUV is a homemade cuvette holder for liquid or thin-film transmission spectroscopy. This accessory can host cuvettes with path lengths up to 10mm and is equipped with an additional slot that can carry a neutral density or color filter. Diffuse reflectance measurements can be performed directly using the ARCSPHERE-NIR, or using a fiber reflection probe. Fiber probes are a flexibly alternative to the ARCSPHERE-NIR, as they are well suited for field applications and can be manipulated by hand.
Arcoptix CUV
Fiber reflection probes can be held in a dedicated stand or manipulated by hand using a contact ferrule
The FTNIR-L1-025-2TE is our FT-NIR spectrometer with fibered input that integrates a highly sensitive thermo-electric cooled (2 stages TEC) InGaAs photodetector. Compared to a grating spectrometer, our FT-NIR will deliver higher SNR measurements with better resolution. For a broader acquisition range, the Arcoptix VIS-NIR-FIB combines the excellent performances of our FT-NIR with a grating spectrometer that measures visible light. The response of the two instruments is calibrated in order to deliver a single VIS-NIR spectrum with excellent continuity.
FTNIR-L1-025-2TE
VIS-NIR-FIB
Compared to the NIR, optical fibers are more challenging to use in the mid-infrared due to their lower performances as well as the lower sensitivity of MIR detectors. Nevertheless, some applications are best tackled using optical fiber based systems. Our FTIR-FC product line was dedicated for applications that require optical fibers or optical fiber probes. For optimal performances, Arcoptix recommends the usageof a liquid nitrogen cooled infrared detector, as they display a much larger sensitivity compared to our thermo-electric cooled detector.
Arcoptix fiber coupled FTIR with optional LN2 cooled infrared detetor