Fast, broadband, rugged spectrometer for near-infrared measurements of organic solutions and multicomponent mixtures

The mode of operation and theoretical concept behind a type of near-infrared spectrometer is discussed, which is used to measure concentrations of glucose, ethanol, CaCl2, and KCl solutions in water, respectively. The main features of the instrument are its potential for short time-to-measurement resolution on the order of tens of milliseconds, its broad spectral bandwidth from 1.0 to 2.4 μm, and its ruggedness. These features allow the device to operate remotely in field applications and to utilize a wide variety of optical interfaces based on state-of-the-art fiber optic technology. Also, they provide a straightforward path to miniaturization with the concomitant enhancement in time resolution and applicability of the instrument and the technique.