Ocean Optics QE65 Pro - Manual (Page 7)

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Chapter 1
Introduction
Product Overview
Ocean Optics has taken its best scientific-grade spectrometer, the QE65000, and enhanced its optical
bench to provide unmatched performance to improve response in the UV and shortwave NIR regions. The
Ocean Optics QE65 Pro Spectrometer produces lower stray light and provides superior dynamic range
and high sensitivity for low-light level applications such as fluorescence, Raman analysis and DNA
sequencing.
Ocean Optics QE65 Pro High-Sensitivity Fiber Optic Spectrometer
The QE65 Pro features a Hamamatsu low-etaloning, back-thinned FFT-CCD detector with a 2-D
arrangement of pixels (1044 horizontal x 64 vertical) that is responsive from 200-1100 nm and has a peak
quantum efficiency of ~90% (with a QE of 65% at 250 nm). The detector’s columns are binned, or
summed, inside the detector prior to the readout process, thereby minimizing readout noise. Additionally,
the detector can be cooled down to –15 ºC with the onboard TE-Cooler to reduce dark noise. The
reduction of noise and dark signal allows integration times of the spectrometer (analogous to the shutter
speed of a camera) of up to 15 minutes, which greatly enhances the detection limit in low-light level
applications. The back-illuminated detector has great response in the UV. The inherent UV response
eliminates the need for UV-sensitive detector coatings that can be difficult to apply consistently from
batch to batch.
The combination of the spectrometer’s low-noise detector and 16-bit A/D Converter delivers a dynamic
range of 25000:1 (for a single acquisition) and a signal-to-noise ratio of 1000:1 (at full signal).
Replaceable slits are offered for added convenience.