Rapid scan spectrophotometer

Abstract

A spectrometer capable of providing a predetermined wavelength of output light in accordance with a control voltage signal applied to a scanning element is described. The scanning element located at the grating image of the spectrometer is a small mirror attached to the rotor of a galvanometer whose angular position is accurately controlled by a closed-loop electronic control. The spectrum reflected from the mirror is passed through a slit to provide the output light of a predetermined wavelength. Selection of the waveform of the control signal allows the spectrometer to be operated as a dual wavelength spectrometer, to use a linear wavelength scan, or other wavelength scan patterns for absorbance analyses of a sample. The rapid scan capability of this instrument has been utilized to extend the measurement of absorbance changes at one wavelength, corrected for light scattering changes (dual-wavelength spectroscopy), to the measurement of the complete differential absorbance spectrum, similarly corrected for light scattering changes (corrected-differential spectroscopy).

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