spektralometer

A spektralometer is an instrument designed to measure the spectral distribution of light across a range of wavelengths. It integrates a light collection path, a dispersive element such as a diffraction grating or prism, and a detector array to produce a spectrum that shows light intensity as a function of wavelength. It is used to characterize light sources, materials, and chemical species.

The principle of operation involves directing light through an entrance slit, dispersing it into its constituent wavelengths, and recording the resulting spectrum with a detector such as a charge-coupled device (CCD) or complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) array. Wavelength calibration maps detector pixels to known wavelengths using reference lines, and intensity calibration corrects for detector response and optical throughput. The resulting data can represent emission, absorption, or reflectance spectra, depending on the measurement configuration.

Design variations include bench-top spectrometers, handheld devices, and spectral imaging systems. Some models are fixed-array spectrometers that capture the full spectrum in a single exposure, while others operate as scanning instruments with a moving slit or tunable dispersive element. Choices of dispersive element, detector technology, and spectral range affect resolution, dynamic range, and speed.

Applications span chemical analysis, material science, environmental monitoring, pharmaceutical and food quality control, astronomy, and art conservation. Performance characteristics such as spectral resolution, wavelength range, sensitivity, and calibration stability determine suitability for a given task, with trade-offs often balancing cost, size, and measurement time.

See also: spectrometer, spectrograph, light spectroscopy.