Chapter 1
Introduction
Product Overview
The Ocean Optics QE65000 Spectrometer is a novel combination of detector, optical bench and
electronics technologies that provide you with a remarkably sensitive system for demanding, low-light
level applications such as fluorescence, DNA sequencing and Raman spectroscopy. The QE65000 is
Ocean Optics’ most sensitive spectrometer, achieving up to 90% quantum efficiency with high signal-to-
noise and improved signal processing speed.
Ocean Optics QE65000 High-Sensitivity Fiber Optic Spectrometer
The QE65000 features a Hamamatsu back-thinned detector with a 2-D arrangement of pixels (1044
horizontal x 64 vertical) that is responsive from 200-1100 nm. The detector’s columns are binned, or
summed, inside the detector prior to the readout process, thereby minimizing readout noise. Additionally,
the detector can be cooled down to –15 ºC with the onboard TE-Cooler to reduce dark noise. The
reduction of noise and dark signal allows integration times of the spectrometer (analogous to the shutter
speed of a camera) of up to 15 minutes, which greatly enhances the detection limit in low-light level
applications. The back-illuminated detector has great response in the UV.
The combination of the spectrometer’s low-noise detector and 16-bit A/D Converter delivers a dynamic
range of 25000:1 and a signal-to-noise ratio of 1000:1.
220-00000-000-02-0605
1
