Data Extraction From Multiple Order Diffraction Patterns in Optical Spectroscopy

Spectrophotometry is widely used in science for analyzing chemical compounds and determining absorbance or scattering properties of solutions. A new approach to absorbance analysis that can be carried out with inexpensive equipment such as Complementary-Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) cameras and Light Emitting Diodes (LED) is proposed in this article. A multiple order diffraction pattern is used to amplify the symmetrical distribution of spectral data. Having more spectral data than ordinary spectrophotometers, in principle, has the advantage of allowing high quality information to be generated from inexpensive, low quality components. Image processing techniques were used to study pixel intensity information and pixel coordinates, and to overcome limitations in apparatus resolution, precision, and dynamic range. Computational limitations required development of methods to convert pixel color intensity information into spectral absorbance data.