Ocean Optics has launched precision laser-cut slit and aperture assemblies to add flexibility to the company's Jaz, Torus and QE65 Pro-miniature spectrometers. Field-replaceable slits give users more freedom in the spectrometer design and the ability to switch from one application to another easily.
A larger slit increases throughput, but at the expense of optical resolution. A smaller slit yields higher optical resolution, but decreases throughput. Typically, changing the slit requires spectrometer rework that has to be performed at the manufacturer’s facility.
With replaceable slits, users can change the spectrometer’s performance directly in the field. Changing slits can be accomplished within minutes, without the need for realignment. For example, QE65 Pro users who need great sensitivity for low light applications, such as fluorescence, can change slits from a larger slit size to a small one, avoiding saturation in absorbance applications. Or a Torus configured to resolve closely aligned emission peaks for one application can be adjusted to make low light level measurements for another application.