Ocean Optics Nirquest Install - Manual (Page 8)

1: Introduction
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The NIRQuest Spectrometer can connect via the USB port to any PC that uses a Windows Me/2000/XP
operating system and has spectrometer operating software installed and configured for use with your
NIRQuest Spectrometer. Furthermore, the NIRQuest Spectrometer has a serial port for interfacing to PCs,
PLCs, and other devices that support the RS-232 communication protocol.
An EEPROM memory chip in each NIRQuest Spectrometer contains wavelength calibration coefficients,
linearity coefficients, and the serial number unique to each spectrometer. Ocean Optics SpectraSuite
spectrometer operating software reads these values from the spectrometer, which allows “hot-swapping”
of spectrometers among multiple PCs.
As with all other Ocean Optics user-configured spectrometers, you can choose from six slit sizes and
hundreds of fiber optic accessories (such as light sources, probes, and optical fibers) to create the system
just right for your application.
NIRQuest can be used with a Wireless Spectral Server to capture spectral data wirelessly or via Ethernet.
About the Modular Approach
Ocean Optics fiber optic spectrometer systems are based on low-cost, modular data acquisition principles.
A typical NIRQuest Spectrometer system contains four basic elements:
• The NIRQuest Spectrometer (see
NIRQuest Spectrometer Models )
•
The Ocean Optics SpectraSuite spectrometer operating software (see
• Software)
• A light (excitation source) (see
Accessories )
• A variety of sampling optics (depending on application need) (see
Accessories )
The light (excitation source) sends light through an optical fiber to the sample. The light interacts with the
sample, and the results are collected and transmitted through another optical fiber to the spectrometer.
The spectrometer measures the amount of light and transforms the data collected by the spectrometer into
digital information. Finally, the spectrometer passes that information to the operating software.
NIRQuest Spectrometer Models
The NIRQuest family of spectrometers consists of the following models:
• NIRQuest512 with a detector range of 850 – 1700 nm; usable range of 900 – 2700 nm
• NIRQuest512-1.9 with a detector range of 1000 – 1900 nm; usable range 1100 – 1900 nm
• NIRQuest512-2.2 with a detector range 900 – 2200 nm; usable range of 900 – 2200 nm
• NIRQuest512-2.5 with a detector range 900 – 2550 nm; usable range of 900 – 2500 nm
• NIRQuest256-2.1 with a detector range of 900 – 2100 nm; usable range of 900 – 2050 nm
• NIRQuest256-2.5 with a detector range of 900 – 2550 nm; usable range of 900 – 2500 nm