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Modular Raman System Enables More Efficient Particle Research
- Education & Academia
- Raman
- High Sensitivity Spectrometers
An Ocean Insight QE Pro spectrometer is part of a modular Raman system for detection of hydrogen isotopologues at Karlsruhe Tritium Laboratory in Germany. The setup is supporting research into elementary particle physics.
As reported earlier this year in the open-access journal Sensors, researchers from the Institute for Astroparticle Physics at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have developed what they describe as a “compact and cost-efficient” 532 nm Raman-based system for simultaneous measurement of hydrogen isotopologues. A key part of that system is an Ocean Optics QE Pro spectrometer, a high-sensitivity instrument distinguished by its great flexibility and thermoelectrically cooled detector (Figure 1).
Figure 1. The research team integrated a QE Pro spectrometer into a modular Raman setup. For the actual QE Pro spectrometer integration, review the published white paper.
Isotopologues are molecules that are identical except for having different isotopes in their structure. An isotope is an element (defined by its number of protons) that has a different number of neutrons in its nucleus.
As the authors explain, measuring mixtures of hydrogen isotopologues in gas form typically requires mass spectrometry or gas chromatography, which have drawbacks related to pressure and other requirements inherent to KIT's tritium process infrastructure.
These challenges inspired the development of the Raman-based system. But rather than selecting one of the many fully integrated Raman systems on the market, the KIT team opted for the flexibility and versatility of a modular setup comprising the spectrometer, laser and a customized optical interface for direct contact with the tritiated gas. As a result of the work, the KIT team believes their setup can be used for other operations at the facility and can be modified for use with other gas mixtures.
In Appreciation
Ocean Insight is very grateful to Dr. Florian Priester of KIT, lead author of paper, and his KIT colleagues at KIT’s Institute of Astroparticle Physics, for sharing their work with us and supporting our business.
References
Priester, F., Marstellar, A., Niemes, S., Tuchscherer, N. and Welte, S. µRA – A New Compact Easy-to-Use Raman System for All Hydrogen Isotopologues, Sensors 2022, 22, 3952.
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