DIY Specrometer Project

[Meatball]

Alright guys, I know some of you couldn't care less about what a spectrometer can do for you, but I found this kickstarter project which aims to sell $35 DIY spectrometer kits.

Its webcam based and also supported by a community and the software developers themselves. While I think the setup they have is great and very clever, I'm not so impressed with the 3nm resolution. Their aim is for more broadband measurements of complex molecular emission rather than the well defined atomic emission-style lines we're used to as laserists.

But I recommend you take a look anyway, and if it gives you any good ideas, share!

Public Lab DIY Spectrometry Kit by Jeffrey Yoo Warren — Kickstarter

PLOTS Spectral Workbench: index

Spectrometer | publiclaboratory.org

How could the resolution of this one be improved?

 

[Cyparagon]

Resolution can be improved by using a high quality grating, a higher resolution sensor, and a narrower slit (or better yet, a single mode fiber input). Oh, and keep everything spotless.

Document scanners have a linear CCD inside them. They're available at thrift stores for <$5 now-a-days if anyone wants to give it a go.

 

[ARG]

Document scanners have a linear CCD inside them. They're available at thrift stores for <$5 now-a-days if anyone wants to give it a go.

I just took one of these apart for the glass scan bed, where do I find the CCD?

Edit: Found it.

 

[Meatball]

Do you have to find the CCDs' manufacturer's part # to find how how to power it up and get bits from it? Which one did you take apart?

 

[ARG]

I took a part an Acer scanner 66678-AVA. The CCD I got looks similar to this one: http://pinout-circuits-images.dz863.com/67/TCD1707D-pinout.png

Lots of goodies in that scanner, stepper motor, 8mm smooth rod, belt, three long FS mirrors, large glass bed, inductors, regulators with heatsinks, CCD and mini florescent tube