Fast Infrared Spectrometer

A spectrometer has been developed for acquiring transient emission and absorption spectra in the wavelength range from 1.2 to 5.0 µm. It could be used to characterize flames, turbulence, and other transient phenomena that interact with infrared radiation. Heretofore, success in the study of such phenomena has been limited by the inability of infrared spectrometers to acquire data at sufficiently high speeds. In contrast, the present infrared spectrometer measures the spectrum at a repetition frequency of 390 Hz. The high speed of this instrument could also make it attractive for such commercial applications as monitoring food, pharmaceutical, and petroleum products in process streams and on production lines.