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

[diachi]

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

I lived in that area for 8 years. It would be a piece of cake. I call the 577 OPSL and the 532 OPSL. :crackup:

As long as you let me play with them from time to time. :crackup:

 

[paul1598419]

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

Sure. Why not?

 

[Mosc007]

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

I have been tinkering again and done some more updates. You will need the full install package this time as I have added another OCX file called Comdlg32. It's used for File saving and loading.


Updates
--------
Added real time averaging of the data. Just enable the "Live Averaging" Tick box and real time averaging of the data will occur for as many frames as you capture. Number of frames captured is shown when it's enabled.

Save Spectrum. When you have a Spectrum you wish to save you can now.

Load Spectrum. You can load any saved Spectrum's you have stored.


The Calibration data as well as the state of the Dark Frame tick box is also saved with the Spectrum file. This means you can save and load Spectrum's for different spectrometers and correct calibration of loaded data will occur.



Bug Fixes
---------
Screen flickering was occurring during updating of the graph. This have been fixed.



Notes
------
I would suggest you remake any Dark frame you have saved using the Averaging function. An Averaged dark frame gives better results.

To make a new Dark Frame.

1. Block all light input to the Spectrometer.
2. Make sure "Use Dark Frame" is Not ticked.
3. Tick the "Live Averaging" box
4. Start capturing data.
5. After about 50 frames stop the capturing.
6. Commands - Save Dark Frame

Download Full Install Package



If anyone has any suggestions for updates please let me know.


Sample Spectrum of a Compact Fluorescent lamp with averaged dark frame and averaged data.

 

[paul1598419]

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

Looking good, Mosc007. I will download this later as I have no time to it now. I have many of these loaded now. Once it is all said and done, I hope to remove all but the last one.

 

[Mosc007]

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

Looking good, Mosc007. I will download this later as I have no time to it now. I have many of these loaded now. Once it is all said and done, I hope to remove all but the last one.

No doubt i will keep playing with it. One i forgot to add was a graph of the calibration data. It shows on a graph what it looks like. If you have never graphed the calibration curve you will be surprised how bad the top and bottom end is with 3rd order polynomial.

I dont keep old versions. Only have latest installed. You do need to manually uninstall old versions. VB6 install wizard doesnt include options to remove old versions when installing again.

 

[paul1598419]

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

I've seen these third order regressions plotted and nothing about it will surprise me. If you graph the extrapolated part it will look awful. It fails to fill these values in, but doesn't very well interpolating if you have enough lines in your calibration.

 

[ZRaffleticket]

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

I gotta say Mosc007, I'm really impressed with the program. I know all too well how difficult it is to work with input like this... I wrote a program to detect pops and clicks in a recording of a vinyl record. Not fun. Not at all.

Are you using visual studio? Somewhere in the publishing menu there should be an option to update the project. Might need to include versioning... not sure as I never actually needed to do it. I mostly work with asp web pages.

 

[paul1598419]

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

@Mosc007

I see my guess that 450nm would be pretty close to pixel # 1 was right on the money from your averaged graph of the small fluorescent lamp. That make these just a tiny bit over 200nm bandwidth. I could probably get by with using just three of them to cover most of the WLs I'm interested in.

 

[Mosc007]

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

I gotta say Mosc007, I'm really impressed with the program. I know all too well how difficult it is to work with input like this... I wrote a program to detect pops and clicks in a recording of a vinyl record. Not fun. Not at all.

Are you using visual studio? Somewhere in the publishing menu there should be an option to update the project. Might need to include versioning... not sure as I never actually needed to do it. I mostly work with asp web pages.

Thanks. I do have about 20 years experience with VB6.

Yes. It's visual studio. I have rarely used the publishing wizard though. I will have a better look at the options.

 

[Mosc007]

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

The second unit i ordered arrived today. The output from the laser is much higher. Its over 5mw. The other one was 0.5mw. The seller does advertise them as a min 0.5mw output.

The spectro also has a considerably different range. Looks to be about 80nm more towards Blue than the first one.

The baffles inside these spectros are a bit odd. They are blocking the 473nm output from the laser. Maybe these were used as some sort of fluroscopy and receiving ligh back from the target.

The serial number in my software is working fine with different spectros. I havnt calibrated this one yet.

 

[diachi]

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

The baffles inside these spectros are a bit odd. They are blocking the 473nm output from the laser. Maybe these were used as some sort of fluroscopy and receiving ligh back from the target.

Yes, they were never for detecting the 473nm light, they detected the light produced when the 473nm caused fluorescence. They were used for Raman spectroscopy AFAIK. That's what that the fiber combiner at the front is for, it allows the 473nm out but blocks it coming back into the spectro.

 

[Cyparagon]

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

I tried to get a serial dump yesterday. One free program just crashes my machine, and the other one somehow interferes with the data stream while it is running, preventing the device from working. I really don't have time to dick around with this.

What program are you using to look at the serial stream, Mosc007? And what are the baud/bit/etc settings I should use?

 

[Mosc007]

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

I tried to get a serial dump yesterday. One free program just crashes my machine, and the other one somehow interferes with the data stream while it is running, preventing the device from working. I really don't have time to dick around with this.

What program are you using to look at the serial stream, Mosc007? And what are the baud/bit/etc settings I should use?

I am at work now so I will have to wait until I get home. I can give you the name of it.

It's just a program that inserts itself between the Software and the Com port driver. No settings are required as its all done thru software.

The Default baud rate on the Spectro is 9600,N,8,1. But it can use any baud rate if you set it. When capturing Data I am using 115200.

 

[Mosc007]

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

I tried to get a serial dump yesterday. One free program just crashes my machine, and the other one somehow interferes with the data stream while it is running, preventing the device from working. I really don't have time to dick around with this.

What program are you using to look at the serial stream, Mosc007? And what are the baud/bit/etc settings I should use?

The software I am using is a free version of a commercial program. I don't know how it works but it says "Free Version - Commercial License". In the help menu there is an item called "Start trial". I did not click on that. It runs without it.

Download Free Serial Analyzer

Worked fine with the Spectrum Studio Software. It only has the Serial Port Analyzer loaded. Maybe the others are not free.

 

[AlexPelo]

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

Hello, I received my unit yesterday after a long shipping delay. Fantastic info on this and all other threads.
Mine took a beating during shipping with the laser controller/PSU board almost loose. Thankfully the laser still lases although I need to repair the connecting harness.
On the laser head, I am trying to remove the fibre port plate. It has those very small hex grub screws and I don't have such a small key.
Do you happen to know what size these are so I can buy the right tool. 0.7mm?

Thanks,
Alex

 

[diachi]

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

Do you happen to know what size these are so I can buy the right tool. 0.7mm?

Thanks,
Alex

I just checked mine and 1.5mm seems to do the trick, although it's a little loose (be careful you don't strip your bits/hex keys or the screws). I'm wondering if perhaps they are imperial instead of metric, in which case you'd probably want 1/16" (1.5875mm) for a better fit.