Next-generation miniature spectrometer for environmental science Flame brings flexible sensing power to water quality, plant growth and more  

Ocean Optics (USA) has launched a spectrometer line that combines decades of miniature spectrometer design expertise with industry-leading manufacturing techniques. The Flame spectrometer delivers high thermal stability and low unit to unit variation without compromising the flexibility and configurability that are the hallmark of modular, miniature spectrometers. Features such as interchangeable slits, indicator LEDs and simpler device connectors provide great flexibility for a wide range of UV-Vis applications in the lab or field. The Flame’s remote sensing capabilities can be used to measure solar irradiance, UV dosimetry, reflected colour of plants and animals, volcanic emissions, or water quality and soil monitoring.

The Flame is fully configurable across the 190-1100 nm wavelength range for use in absorbance, transmission, reflectance, irradiance and colour applications. Spectrometers come preconfigured or custom configured, with interchangeable slits that enable users to adjust resolution and throughput on demand. For example, the user can reconfigure the same spectrometer from high resolution for absorbance to high throughput for fluorescence in seconds. Not only does Flame bring measurement to the sample, it can be fine-tuned for sample parameters in the field. To further increase measurement power, the Flame works seamlessly with Ocean Optics’ range of light sources, optical fibres, sampling accessories and software.

Optical bench improvements and high precision alignment methods elevate Flame performance for demanding applications in lab and field environments. The Flame has thermal stability of 0.05 nm/°C from 200-850 nm and highly consistent unit-to-unit performance that meets the needs of multi-point monitoring setups. Its small footprint (89 x 63 x 34 mm) and low weight (265 g) make Flame ideal for carrying into the field or installation at remote monitoring stations.

Flame operation is plug and play. A choice of USB or RS-232 communications, supported by drivers and software, make it easy to integrate into almost any system. Indicator LEDs show continuous power and data transfer status.