Optical detector basics | Noise in detectors| Subtracting dark spectra

Dear Reader,

Relax on the beach this summer, while sipping lemonade and gaining knowledge of detectors from our selection of technical notes below.

Have a nice summer!

Best regards,
the Ibsen team

Optical detector basics

Detectors are an essential part of any spectroscopic instrument.

Your background is in chemistry – but now you find yourself responsible for selecting the right detector for a spectrophotometer! To help you better understand the basics of optical detectors, we have put together a tutorial on detector basics for spectroscopy.

To help you understand better the basics of optical detectors, we have put together this small series drawings and explanations. Here you see how a basic photo-diode works. If you want to see the full tutorial, simply click here:

 

 

Noise in detectors

One of the most important goals in acquiring good spectroscopic data is getting the best signal-to-noise ratio.

In this note, we review the factors that contribute to the noise theoretically and practically. We compare four often used detectors, the Sony ILX511B and the S11639, the S10420 and the S11156 from Hamamatsu on their SNR. These results can help you select the best detector for your application.

Read the full technical note here:

 

 

Subtracting dark spectra