The Capacities of Compact Spectrometers
The rapid pace of modern technological research, development, and manufacturing has altered the way many crucial processes are carried out. R&D measurements and quality control procedures are increasingly integrated into continuous production facilities to improve manufacturing throughputs and provide accurate product insights directly at the point of production. This requires instruments that are smaller, with improved functionalities over established measurement equipment tailored for specific needs in production lines. In lighting and display manufacturing environments, this challenge is overcome by the application of compact and robust spectrometers.

A compact spectrometer is a sturdy light measurement instrument that encompasses multiple spectral measurement capacities in a small and versatile housing. They can be equipped with application-specific components such as a fixed lens or a cosine corrector, or fiber optics for remote measurement sensitivity – but can compact spectrometers perform to the same demanding levels as larger light measurement components?
This article will explore the applications and capacities of compact spectrometers in more detail:
Display Compact Spectrometers
The range of modern display technologies introduces consumers to dynamic, light-intensive images of varying spectral outputs such as LCD and OLED technology. By LCD screens, it is accomplished by a matrix of thin film materials or liquid crystal display (LCD) layers over light-emitting diodes. These diodes provide all the light necessary for the polarizers and color filters to create distinct optical characteristics from pixel to pixel.
Compact spectrometers are routinely used to optimize the properties of display components and ensure batch to batch consistency through quality control processes. The Hera series compact spectrometer for display applications is equipped with a fixed lens of either 5, 10, or 20 mm, or with stable fiber optic connections. These can acquire measurements across a spectral range of 380 – 780 nm, with an optical resolution at full width half maximum (FHWM) of 2.3 nm. This exceptional degree of optical acquisition is crucial for modern HDR displays.
Lighting Compact Spectrometers
The Hera series compact spectrometer for lighting measurements is equipped with a 5, 10, or 20 mm collimating lens or a cosine corrector, or fiber connector for remote sensing or connection to an integrating sphere for absolute spectral measurement across three distinct ranges. Typically, LED light measurements are concerned with optical characteristics on the visible spectrum, from wavelengths of 380 – 780 nm. The VIS Hera series can determine the spectral output and color values of visible light in a couple of milliseconds, depending on the light level. An enhanced UV-NIR range version enables researchers to obtain wavelength data from 250 – 1100 nm.
The excellent functionality of the Hera display spectrometer for both display and lighting applications is augmented by a high-speed processor capable of internalizing all required calculations for compensation and calibration. Data is delivered with guaranteed accuracy every time, with compensations for dark current, linearity, wavelength calibration, and absolute calibration in just 14 ms. This data processing speed immediately improves upon larger spectrometers, and removes the requirement for many external calculations.
Larger spectrometers typically encompass wider spectral ranges than compact spectrometers. However, smaller light measurement systems that perform to exceptional levels in distinct measurement parameters such as CRI, CCT, radiometric, and photometric, can compete with more conventional materials through their ease of access and exceptional performance in the areas that matter most.
Compact Spectrometers from Admesy
Admesy is a leading supplier of light measurement instrumentation for a range of research and manufacturing applications. Our compact spectrometers are available with multiple configurations for application specific requirements, and robust housings capable of surviving the exacting conditions of manufacturing environments.
If you would like any more information about our Hera series compact spectrometers, please do not hesitate to contact us.