New Compact UV Diffraction Grating

Shimadzu UK Ltd is strengthening its position in the UK spectroscopy sector by creating a new benchmark in molecular spectroscopy. The company’s new Lo-Ray-Ligh diffraction grating heralds a serious advance in grating technology and paves the way for lighter, more compact instruments in the reference and upper research sectors.

The new grating, which was created by Shimadzu R&D in Japan, uses the company’s new holographic exposure method and optimized etching process to make it possible to produce both highly efficient and exceptionally low stray light gratings.

The grating technology is now installed in Shimadzu’s new UV-2600 and UV-2700 model UV spectrophotometers. The UV-2600 is a single monochromator system, which is able to read to 5 Absorbance, and offers a wavelength range to 1400nm with the newly developed dual-detector ISR-2600 Plus integrating sphere.

The instrument’s high performance figures have been shown to be better than conventional spectrophotometers in both absorbance and wavelength range, whilst also providing baseline flatness and noise performance at least equal to any but the most expensive reference grade instruments.
The new Shimadzu UV-2700 takes compact spectrophotometers to even greater levels, using a dual-monochromator to extend the linear dynamic range to in excess of 8 Absorbance. Until now only the most expensive, full-size reference grade instruments have been able to deliver such performance. The UV-2700 is a third of the weight and size of the full-size reference grade systems.

“The new spectrophotometer is ideal for research groups focused on analysis in the near infra-red (up to 1400nm) such as carbon nanotube and communications applications,” explains Dr. Robert Keighley, Shimadzu's Spectroscopy & TOC Business Manager.

“The new instrument offers a cost effective alternative to the much larger UV-Vis-NIR spectrometers which were previously required to cover this wavelength range. The range 900-1400nm was always the most challenging for dual-detector PMT/PbS detector instruments but Shimadzu has applied PMT and InGaAs detection in the ISR-2600 to ensure high sensitivity and an excellent response rate when dealing with this wavelength region”.