Attention Makers

CATEGORY: EDUCATION

Low-cost DIY transmission-mode Raman spectrometer

MAKERS: Timm COUNTRY: United States

I needed a Raman spectrometer but they are out of my price range . So, with the help of my 3-D printer and E-bay, I built one for 1/10th cost.

 

The Purpose

Material identification is a necessary task. A Raman spectrometer is the preferred device to use when analyzing unknown materials or for quality control between batches. The high costs of a commercial Raman spectrometer can be overcome by building and assembling all of the parts, then aligning/testing and using a DIY device. Saving money is great, but learning the details of how Raman spectroscopy works first-hand is worth more than the money saved.

The Technology

The housings for the laser filters, Raman filters, lenses, notch and optical cable are made using a 3-D printer. They're coupled into a $200.00 spectrometer I bought on E-bay. I calibrated it using data supplied from the internet with a compact florescent lamp. Now I can identify specific elements in the special lenses I build to maintain quality control and to see changes in the spectrum while they are influenced by magnetic fields.

Additional Details

This is a work in progress. There are more features I want to add to the system, such as thermoelectric (TE) cooling to reduce the noise floor, a better diffraction grating and Raman wavenumber software.

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