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DESCRIPTION
4.4. OPTICAL SYSTEM
Optical System Block Diagram
A tungsten halogen
lamp
is used as the light source for the entire working range of the meter (340 nm to 900 nm). The tungsten
halogen lamp produces a white light that is passed to a diffraction
grating
.
The diffraction
grating
splits the polychromatic white light into the visible color spectrum, allowing for specific wavelengths to be selected.
The light is then passed through an optical
filter
to reduce stray light and improve measurement accuracy.
The internal reference system uses a
reference photo detector
to compensate for drifts due to lamp intensity, ambient temperature and
environmental changes, providing a stable source of light.
Focusing
lenses
are used throughout the optical system to ensure all of the light is being collected. This allows a brighter, stronger signal
to be received.
After the light exits the cuvette a final focusing
lens
is used. This reduces error from cuvette imperfection and scratches eliminating the
need to index the cuvette.