Optoelectronics
Seeing the unseen: how rugged spectrometry is revolutionising real-world analysis
By Martin Sharratt, managing director, AP Technologies F
or centuries, we have known that light holds more information than meets the eye. Modern spectrometry explores this principle by measuring how light interacts with matter, revealing a distinct spectral “fi ngerprint”. This signature, as unique to a substance as a human fi ngerprint is to a person, allows us to identify its hidden composition. For decades, however, gaining accurate analysis was only possible in the stable conditions of a laboratory. Spectrometers that need to produce reliable data were simply too vulnerable to the vibration, temperature shifts, and humidity of real-world environments such as riverbanks, agricultural fi elds or factory fl oors. With samples needing to be transported
to a lab for analysis causing obstructive and frustrating delays. This then has been the impetus for the development of a new class of rugged, compact spectrometers designed to deliver lab-grade accuracy directly at the point of need, overcoming the environmental fragility of older instruments.
Engineering for the extremes Bridging the gap between lab precision and industrial resilience required a fundamental rethinking of spectrometer design. The OtO Photonics SmartEngine series is engineered from the inside out to provide reliable measurements in demanding, real-world conditions. Its reliability stems from a holistic design philosophy based on
mechanical robustness, optical stability and advanced software.
The foundation is a rigid optical bench that acts as a robust chassis, protecting sensitive internal mirrors and gratings from external forces. This is complemented by diffraction gratings developed to operate with a near-zero coeffi cient of thermal expansion, so ensuring that temperature fl uctuations do not compromise calibration or shift wavelengths. The purity of the analytical signal is ensured by a proprietary stray light calibration algorithm which digitally identifi es and removes optical noise. In this way interference can be reduced to a level of just 0.01% and allow cleaner more accurate measurements.
A spectrum of possibilities: applications in action
By moving analysis from the lab to the point of need, rugged spectrometers are affecting a shift from slow, reactive and delayed analysis to providing immediate, proactive data across numerous industries and applications. In modern day agriculture, compact spectrometers can provide farmers with instant, on-site readings of key soil nutrients like nitrogen and phosphates directly in the field, allowing for the precise application of fertiliser only where it is needed. The technology also extends to optimising the harvest itself; by analysing the spectral signature of
38 September 2025
Components in Electronics
www.cieonline.co.uk
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