Ocean Optics Overture - Manual (Page 41)

Chapter 5 Applications
000-20000-400-01-201108 33
Standard flame test compounds can be used to show how all the metallic elements produce line spectra.
Sodium contamination is less of a problem as the Na line can be identified and does not affect other lines.
The spectrometer “sees” discrete wavelengths, so even if you can’t see a line behind a yellow sodium
glow, the spectrometer can.
Lasers
Lasers have a near-monochromatic line spectrum (sharp Gaussian). Some of the Gaussian spread is
caused by the spectrometer. The sharper the line the more monochromatic the light. Compare this with
LEDs, interference and gel filters.