IS-Instruments FAQ’s
In this FAQs section, we provide answers to some of the more common questions we receive about our spectrometers, spectroscopy in general, LIDAR and a range of application for these techniques.
Simply click on the item you wish to find out more about. If you do not see the answer to your question here, please contact us at info@is-instruments.com and one of our team will be in touch to help.
A: Raman spectroscopy is a technique usually used to determine vibrational frequencies of molecules so they may be identified. It can also be used to observe rotational and other low-frequency modes of systems. The technique relies on the inelastic scattering of photons when a sample is illuminated by a laser beam. You can find out more by watching our short video, here.
A: Most LIDAR companies would like you to think so! LIDARs have been in operation in Universities and Research laboratories almost as long as lasers have been around. These setups were very large and expensive. Most LIDAR companies are still building these kinds of products. At ISI, we are always looking at the best of the new technological developments to ensure all of our products are as compact and affordable as possible.
A: Like most pieces of industrial equipment, lasers can be dangerous if used in a dangerous manner. The use of lasers can be very safe if the correct design and expertise are applied. This is what ISI can provide, ensuring any laser-based solutions we supply do not present a danger to employees, equipment or the public. We have many years of experience designing laser-based systems for applications in a variety of conditions including high-temperature, high-pressure, radiative and potentially explosive.
A: Most LIDARs today are laser rangefinders, such as those used by surveyors and estate agents. These can measure distances accurately. At ISI, we specialise in more innovative uses of LIDARs, using them to measure pollution levels, process leaks, surface profiles, and for the identification of molecules both in gases and as liquids. We also use them to make measurements of distances dramatically more accurately than the everyday versions of LIDARs.
A: LIDAR stands for LIght Detection And Ranging. It is sometimes known as LADAR (LAser Detection and Ranging). In essence, LIDARs are comprised of a laser, a scanner, and a specialised GPS receiver and can be used for making remote measurements of variable distances by using light pulses to generate 3-dimensional information of a target area. LIDAR is a highly accurate and powerful tool for 3D mapping or modelling of unknown or hard to reach areas.
A: Etendue or throughput is a property of light in an optical system. Most spectrometer designs require a slit to produce high-resolution spectroscopy results. This slit is required due to the etendue of the solid angle area that can be accommodated by the instrument. This limits the throughput of the instrument or the amount of light that can be passed through the device. This can result in more than 95 % of the light being thrown away by the instrument making it difficult to obtain accurate measurements of the target substance. ISI’s high throughput spectrometer and Raman spectrometer does not require a slit and can accept all the light from a 1 mm diameter 0.22 NA optical fibre, greatly increasing sensitivity.