What Is A Spectrometer And Why It Is Useful For Scientific Researches

Technology has significantly evolved over the past few decades, allowing us to create a myriad of solutions to improve human life. For the non-scientists, we get the final products and inventions without ever thinking about how they were made. For the people creating these solutions, a lot of work and research goes into the process. One of the essential tools used in scientific research is the spectrometer, and it has significantly evolved over the past few decades. So, what is a spectrometer, and why is it useful in scientific research? 

The Spectrometer

In a general sense, a spectrometer is a device used to identify and measure the variations of a material’s physical qualities over a spectrum. A wide range of applications can stem from that, including the changes in nuclear resonant frequencies and the absorption/emission of lights, among others. Another way of putting it is that spectroscopy––the science in which spectrometers are used––is the study and measurement of specific characteristics as functions of wavelength or frequency. This is a relatively modern definition. In the past, this science was considered to study the interactions between matter and radiation as a function of wavelength in particular.  

To delve deeper into the spectrometer and its uses, it is a device that we use to measure light wavelengths over a wide range of the electromagnetic spectrum. This means that we can use this device in the spectroscopic analysis of any materials we want to examine. This type is called the optical spectrometer, which is the most commonly used around the world, and it’s the one people usually refer to when they mention these devices. 

How Does It Work?

The primary function of the spectrometer is to take the light and break it down into essential spectral components that can be measured. Then, the spectrometer takes that signal and turns it into a digital one concerning the wavelength read through a computer’s display. This is how Spectroscopy works through different applications, from radiometers to spectrographs. There are several different spectrometers, but they all take in light and split it into its spectral components. What differs from one application to the other is the design of the spectrometer. That varies depending on the scope of the experiment and the desired outcome. Researchers can measure a ton of data like absorbance, mass-to-charge rations, and molecular vibrations. 

So, how exactly does the process itself work? It starts with directing light into the spectrometer through the entrance slit––a narrow opening that allows light to go through fiber optic cables into the device. Then, this little hole vignettes the morning when it enters the spectrometer, and a concave mirror is next used to collimate the divergent light and direct it to a grating. The grating works to separate the spectral components of the light at different angles. Another concave mirror focuses on this dispersed light, and it is imaged on a detector. There is another option where concave holographic grating can be used to do all three functions simultaneously, but that comes with its pros and cons. 

Mass Spectrometers 

The first and most important applications of this science are mass spectrometers, which are crucial in scientific research. A mass spectrometer is used to measure the qualities of individual molecules and atoms like mass and concentration. This is also done by producing spectra used to identify and learn about isotopes and chemical structures of the materials we wish to study. Mass spectrometers are heavily utilized in space studies, where the biggest challenge is our inability to travel to distant planets with ease. This means that we cannot easily explore outer space. Mass spectrometers are used to identify and study the minuscule particles found in the area, which will give us a better understanding of how we can make space travel more possible. 

Marine Studies 

Spectrometers are used in marine studies to monitor the dissolved oxygen content in freshwater and other marine ecosystems. Dissolved oxygen is integral in maintaining suitable living conditions for aquatic life. If dissolved oxygen content drops below a specific number, aquatic life might not survive in these conditions. This is why we use spectrometers to understand what can be changed to improve living conditions for fish and other forms of marine life. 

Biomedical Applications  

Another field where spectrometers are heavily used is in biomedicine. Many biomedical research fields explore the natural fluorescence response of materials like amino acids, which are the primary building block of all protein types. These responses of amino acids are then used to create medicine and in several pharmaceutical applications. Some are even used in cancer research in an attempt to find cures for different types of cancer. Spectrometers also have biowarfare defense applications. 

Medicinal Applications

Spectrometers are used in respiratory gas (oxygen, carbon dioxide, and so on) analysis in hospitals. Respiratory gas analysis is a standard monitoring technique used for patients under anesthesia. Other courses are used for this process, but spectrometers are becoming an alternative due to their high accuracy and excellent results. 

Infrared Spectrometers 

This type of spectrometer is used to measure specific vibrations of interatomic bonds while studying a sample at varying frequencies when the model itself is exposed to infrared light. This technique is also used to identify the number of absorbing molecules, which can be helpful in several fields. 

From studying spectral emission lines of distant galaxies to helping create new drugs, spectrometers are some of the most commonly used devices in several science disciplines today. The science behind them is pretty simple, yet they can help in so many fields to advance human progress. Spectrometers are so simple that students use them in college due to the simplicity of their software and how easy the spectral analysis tools are. The catch is in understanding how the spectrometer works. Once you figure it out, you can use it to do a host of different experiments.