B&W-tech Spectrometer & 473 module: Setup+Mods+Info

Hi members

I've created this thread to gather all the information associated with the setup, modification, experimentation and technical information of the B&W-Tech Spectrometers and 473nm DPSS modules found in the 'functioning & non-functioning' units available from ebay.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Blue-Light...070050?hash=item25f51c6a22:g:tGUAAOSwTM5Y1YSZ

All new and old information from your experience & experimentation is more than welcome

Below is a great thread created by LPF member Mosc007 on the calibration process :beer:

https://laserpointerforums.com/f51/spectrometer-calibration-102842.html

And below is a thread also created by Mosc007 on the spectral lines from various discharge lamps

https://laserpointerforums.com/f51/spectral-emission-line-db-102880.html#post1531799

J :beer:

Re: B&Wtech 473nm unit / Spectrometer Mods & Info

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Re: B&Wtech 473nm unit / Spectrometer Mods & Info

Information i've imported from other threads so far....

CynicalBrad said:

I do have the software and it throws a ton of errors keeping it open but it may be that it is seeing no com ports open to connect to. I still can't find either my arduino or my usb to 9 pin serial convertor so I haven't been able to make any progress aside from popping it open to see an astonishing lack of baffles in it.
Probably about to order a usb>serial convertor off amazon so I can try to get this thing at least spitting out numbers.

EDIT: convertor ordered. Will have it in my hands sunday at some point according to amazon.

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paul1598419 said:

My experience with spectrometer software is that it should just sit there waiting for a spectrometer to be scanned into the system. If you are getting all kinds of errors with it after loading, it likely won't work with the spectro attached. That has been my fear after reading what the seller or their company has done in an effort to get one running. It sounds very screwy.

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CynicalBrad said:

Error 1 (ocurrs on launch) is complaining about a missing image.
System.IO.FileNotFoundException: 390to650.png

EDIT: Took random image of ~800-400 size and named it as that name and this error is now gone and that image became the background image.

Error 2 (occurs on trying to take reading) is complaining about the port being closed.
System.InvalidOperationException: The port is closed.
Seems there may still be some luck after all.

It strikes me as odd that an image that suggests the range is supposed to be 390nm to 650nm is missing when these were supposedly narrow range spectros in these assemblies.

Attached a debugger to the program and it's name is "BWSpectro" This is most likely the software from the manufacturer just modified to hide that fact on the surface.

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diachi said:

Laser Controller Power Pinout:

Found here (there's other pinouts for the controller too): Sam's Laser FAQ - Commercial Solid State Lasers

Lots of good information on this thread for the laser (none for the spectro IIRC): https://www.photonlexicon.com/forums/showthread.php/11161-BWB-10-OEM-473nm-laser-module-info-thread

I'd try the standard RS232 pintout for the serial connector.

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paul1598419 said:

That's a bit confusing, as it isn't what I was told by a seller who has a half dozen or more of these. I wonder if there is something in the CCD setup that limits its range. I'll know more once i get into it. BTW, if you touch any part of the optics you can ruin them from the oils on your hand. This is especially true of the grating. Be very careful when you have the cover off the optical bench.

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CynicalBrad said:

Translated from the following page:Was a link to some Some Czech auction site until they killed the link.
Searching for "BPS473" is what yielded this result.

"The Biophotonic Scanner is the world's first measuring device that determines the Carotenoid Value in the Skin (SCS) - an instant recording of carotenoid antioxidant activity in your body. By simply placing your hand in front of the faint blue light, you can get your Carotenoid Value in your skin within minutes. The Pharmanex® Biophotonic Scanner Technology is based on an optical method known as Raman Resonance Spectroscopy. This technology has been awarded the Nobel Prize and is used for biological measurements, as well as scientific discipline supported by years of research. Thanks to Pharmanex, technology is now available to everyone. The scanner uses optical signals to measure carotenoid levels in human tissue just below the skin's surface. These signals identify the specific molecular structure of carotenoids. Pharmanex® is the exclusive holder of the patented Biophotonic Scanner technology. The scanner was developed by physicians and physicists at the top university in the United States"

EDIT: Knowing it's original purpose, it does not surprise me that there are no baffles in the spectrometer on these. Will not at all be surprised to be able to hook it up and use it as is just as soon as I find either my arduino or my usb to 9 pin serial converter. Just have to hope it has a decent range that it can read.

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paul1598419 said:

After looking at the optical bench, I was able to identify the collimating mirror, diffraction grating, focusing mirror and CCD. Can't say that it's configured to read all of the VIS spectrum, but it does have everything necessary to do so.

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diachi said:

Collimating mirror is the smaller concave mirror, grating is the flat optic and focusing mirror is the wider concave mirror I take it?

Edit, for reference in case anyone needs it:

I posted that link earlier in the thread. Don't recall seeing anything about the spectrometer in there though, just the laser head and driver.

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Alaskan said:

Wow, beautiful! Tks for posting those pix diachi.

Here's Brad's photo of the spectrometer, I had a hard time finding it again because it was a link, kept going back too far in the thread. Thought it was an embedded pic.



Atomicrox, no problem getting a spectrometer, I bought plenty of these units, 15 total I wanted to make sure we nabbed some for members who might want them later, if this spectrometer works out well, if not, I have lots of DPSS project parts!

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diachi said:

I'm glad these are the ones with the pump correction optics and not the other ones with just the pump focusing lens, like the last one I had.

Lots of space for a DPSS build or just a pure diode build.

IIRC, they don't have the output collimation optics on them as shown above. Not sure about pump correction optics, definitely at least two "focusing" lenses and an anamorphic prism pair though.

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paul1598419 said:

Well, I got the spectrometer out today and then started looking at the pdf files and other information sent along with it. It uses an RS232 connector for interfacing with a computer with applicable software to run this thing. I see a possible problem in that the "free software" to run it might not work at all. This would necessitate someone purchasing the software from the manufacturer. It could, in theory, be shared among all the users of this spectrometer. Well, back to the fight.

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paul1598419 said:

I haven't looked at it yet, but after reading what the seller has done in attempting to get it to work gives me pause. They opened the spectrometer and it came up with a large binary compression dump of data at a baud rate of 9600 bps. This caused errors and "distortion of data". It was found that if it was closed and reopened at a baud rate of 115,2000 bps they were able to link to MS Excel. I have gone to the B&W Tech website and found BWSpec which looks like it was made to run this without problems. I am still trying to figure out what they sent and if it is even compatible with this spectro. So far, I am not encouraged.

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Re: B&Wtech 473nm unit / Spectrometer Mods & Info

I think you could combine all these posts jnrpop :yh:

-Alex

Re: B&Wtech 473nm unit / Spectrometer Mods & Info

Alaskan said:

Photo's and above quotes cut and paste from https://tinyurl.com/BWTech473 - If not Kosher I will edit them out. Maybe this isn't worth bringing over here since all of the above quoted info is at that link and much more, pages of posts. However, this is what I consider important core info to communicate with and get the DPSS laser driver working. Paul & Brad have already been into the data port for the spectrometer and reporting their findings, hoping they will post more about their work with them.

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Driver for the laser can get fairly hot under normal operation, attaching the existing heatsink to another heatsink or adding a fan or something may be a good idea if you plan to run it for longer durations.

Think the power connector is DB9 MALE, which means I messed up ordering DB9M connectors... Better order up some DB9F... (Edit: Just ordered a female-female DB9 converter, so can use that to connect the two male connectors if needed.)

Looks like this may have been the original product, anyone confirm?



Image is on bwtek.com.

Re: B&Wtech 473nm unit / Spectrometer Mods & Info

Subbing for now. Will post here as I get news.

Re: B&Wtech 473nm unit / Spectrometer Mods & Info

The Biophotonic Scanner is the world's first measurement device to determine Carotenoid Value in the Skin (SCS) - an instant recording of carotenoid antioxidant activity in your body. By simply placing your hand in front of a faint blue light, you can get your Carotenoid Value in your skin within minutes. The Pharmanex® Biophotonic Scanner Technology is based on an optical method known as Raman Resonance Spectroscopy. This technology has been awarded the Nobel Prize and is used for biological measurements, as well as scientific discipline supported by years of research. Thanks to Pharmanex, technology is now available to everyone. The scanner uses optical signals to measure carotenoid levels in human tissue just below the skin's surface. These signals identify the specific molecular structure of carotenoids. Pharmanex® is the exclusive holder of the patented Biophotonic Scanner technology. The scanner was developed by physicians and physicists at the top university in the United States

Here is a picture of what these units looked like with the original casing.
This was found by searching BPS473 which is the model number on one of the stickers on the unit.



On a side note, the "beam splitter" in the front unit that both fibers lead into, is very selective about wavelength. 405, 520, 635, and 660 all get split ~50/50 going through it at any angle while at a 40-45 degree angle 477 and 473 is almost fully reflected.


Copying from my 477 streamlight thread:

paul1598419 said:

Were you able to scan the device into the software? If not, the 390nm to 650nm range probably has nothing to do with these spectrometers. If this is a version of BWSpec that is encouraging as that is the software I found on their website that would work with this spectrometer. I wonder why all the errors codes, though. I may have to wait until I get the other five coming to me as the one I got is incomplete and may have some missing plugs. Did you get a schematic to this laser? That would be very helpful to me at this point.

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I have to wait on my serial convertor having lost mine and at this point I will have to wait to see what I can do when I receive my new cable.. Mine had "missing" cables aswell running to the spectro. I had only one of the three 10 pins headers with anything connected. Im assuming that those other two are for a different usage or even JTAG ports as they are labeled JT1 and JT2. The control board for the 473nm units was also "missing" a few cables yet operates the laser just fine as is without the spectro or the small power supply for the spectro hooked up to the harness.

And it seems the error codes at this point are literally "missing background image" and if I try to take a reading with no spectro hooked up "no spectro connected, the port is closed" so I still think there is a good chance these are good to go as is unless they have a restrictive firmware flashed onto them.

Re: B&Wtech 473nm unit / Spectrometer Mods & Info

I knew what these were used for some time ago. I'm surprised they were able to sell so many as a skin scanning method of getting carotinoid levels. I'm not too concerned about the other two unplugged JT1 and JT2 plugs on the spectro. They were likely always that way. How are you powering the spectro now? There is a mini plug on it that may be a separate power input source.

Re: B&Wtech 473nm unit / Spectrometer Mods & Info

Those errors almost certainly mean the software is coded in .net, which means the source code is easy to get (and modify, if needed).

Re: B&Wtech 473nm unit / Spectrometer Mods & Info

Should I contact him to get one of the spectro's, then?

Re: B&Wtech 473nm unit / Spectrometer Mods & Info

Thank you, Chris. I have ordered two RS232 to USB converters. One from China that will take forever getting here and one from CA that has shipped and should get here next week. I hope to connect the spectro to the software and see about its range and need for calibration. I can't do much more until I get one of those converters. I see a mini plug on the spectro board and wonder if it is an alternative way to power it. It may also get power through the RS232 connector as my USB2000 gets its power through the USB coneector.

Re: B&Wtech 473nm unit / Spectrometer Mods & Info

B&W TEK BRC100 Spectrometer 399-785nm w/ Power Supply Fiber Optic BRC100-OEM | eBay

Looks to be an alternative power input. That looks to be the same spectro just with a wall wart.
I have a USB to serial converter waiting in my mailbox so I will be able to hook it up tonight to see if I can get a reading and if it correctly reads my few known wavelength sources as well as try to establish a range on it as best I can. Will post back after work with my results.
Hoping for the best and hopefully I can post back in 6 hours with some good news.

Does anyone happen to have the spectrum for the stray emissions from a healthy he-ne laser anywhere? I've got that, two 473's and a Laserglow 532 to quickly check with at my disposal.

Re: B&Wtech 473nm unit / Spectrometer Mods & Info

So, I was right. The mini plug is another way to power this spectro. Looks like they are using a 12 VDC 750 mA wall wart. Wonder why it is considered a B grade spectro?

Edit: My speculation that this takes a +12 volt supply was wrong! It takes a +5 volt source. A wallwart has worked fine for this purpose for me.

Re: B&Wtech 473nm unit / Spectrometer Mods & Info

paul1598419 said:

So, I was right. The mini plug is another way to power this spectro. Looks like they are using a 12 VDC 750 mA wall wart. Wonder why it is considered a B grade spectro?

BTW, Brad. You have a double post.

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I saw, had some network issues on my phone and it posted it twice. Second one is now deleted.

Re: B&Wtech 473nm unit / Spectrometer Mods & Info

I've got some serial adapters so should be able to get some testing done when mine arrives. Can anyone link me to the software?

Plus the HeNes and Argon will work for checking calibration.

Re: B&Wtech 473nm unit / Spectrometer Mods & Info

Pm me and I can send you an email with the software and documentation in a few hours when I get off work.