Polychromator

A polychromator ( from Greek: poly = many chromos = color) is a monochromator, in which there is no gap in the exit slit plane: one can look at the entire spectrum of spatially spread out simultaneously. A linear diode array detector ( PDA) is now used instead of the exit slit, the entire spectrum can be recorded simultaneously.

This gives an Optical Multichannel Analyzer ( OMA) or Multichannel Spectrometer ( MCS), with which the spectrum to be examined simultaneously ( at the same time, in parallel) can be registered. This provides a system gain is substantially compared with the conventional monochrometer in which the wavelengths have to be scanned in sequence. Modern Multichannel Spectrometer can very quickly give a complete spectrum (eg, in the visible spectral range ) to the evaluation electronics.

Typical measurement times are now in resolutions at 2048pixel/Spektrum in a few milliseconds.

Polychromators thus form the basis for online industrial applications of spectroscopic measurement methods. In the past, accurate and fast receiver components were not available and spectroscopic methods in the quality control, emission measurement, etc., were time consuming carried out in the laboratory.

Other benefits of polychromators are not limited to:

• Small number of optical components and thus a reasonable production cost
• No mechanical moving parts (low or no wear even in continuous operation )
• Usually adjusted permanently and mechanically fixed ( no maintenance)

• Optical measuring device
• Spectroscopy