Remote Spectroscopy

Spectroscopy as a tool for diagnostics, monitoring, process control and quality assurance is now very much “out of the box”.   Growth and specialization of Lasers and optical fiber light delivery have given rise to an explosion in both fixed and mobile spectroscopy-driven monitoring and control. 

Optical fiber cables can provide channels for narrow or broadband “excitation” at almost any power level, CW or modulated or pulsed; for optical signal collection and guidance back to a detection/processing system. Standoff distances may in meters or hundreds of meters depending on the situation. With the proliferation of systems comes and even more diverse demand for probes, cables and fixed installations in a wide range of environments.  

Value Drivers

The value of spectroscopy accessory probes, fibers, cables, and assemblies is driven by optimum fiber selection and combination in cable structures appropriate for the application and environment.  The ability to cable and connectorize multiple dissimilar fibers, each with optimum cores sizes and NAs, spectral transmission and bending loss characteristics is key.

Application Focus

Berkshire’s key Application focus for Remote Spectroscopy is on mobile diagnostic accessories and complex, fixed, point to point or multi-point cable installations and industrial or tactical grade multi-fiber connectorization.  Cables can be used for hazardous materials detection, either passive or excited detection; remote laser-based (e.g., tunable) excitation and detection systems and accessories that benefit from output beam shaping and collection optics for Industrial, Mining, Chemical, Environmental Compliance and wherever precision detection, identification and quantification is needed.

Berkshire Strengths

Optimum fiber, buffer, cable jacket selection; cost effective fiber to application matching; bundling or cabling dissimilar fibers – from singlemode to very large core step index – proximal and distal end treatments for beam-shaping and lensing; diffusing or focusing; high temperature and chemical resistant coatings and jacketing materials; custom ferrule drilling for “multiple fibers per ferrule” to multi-pin tactical and industrial connectorization.

Engineered Solutions

Berkshire is expert in optimum fiber design and selection, based on the optical requirements of the system to be remoted.  Fibers for narrow or broadband excitation and collection can be combined on the appropriate cable construction suitable for the application environment.  Special coupling optics can maximize excitation power while minimizing source power requirements while output beams may be focused or expanded for optimum specimen illumination and collection optics provided for maximum return signal.

High temperature fiber coatings can be used and cabled in chemical resistant jacketing for high or low pH environments.  Berkshire can provide a wide range of standard SMA, FCs powered connectors or design custom termination for dissimilar fibers.   **Touch upon polarization maintaining and selective cut off fibers.   ****And possibly hollow core. Working on this. Still very low power***** So it’s really about the precision of the connectors. 

Product Focus

Berkshire designs fixed and portable, one way or two-way spectroscopy cable assemblies for testing, diagnosis, laboratory experiments, process monitoring and control and compliance.  Single fiber, bi-directional designs; multi-fiber excitation and collection or complex harnesses for multi-point excitation and detection.

Contact Us at 860-868-0081 to discuss your spectroscopy system and any fiber-related challenges. Whether they relate to portable testing, R&D experiments; process monitoring; hazardous material detection or environmental compliance, Berkshire Engineers Solutions.