AR-1 Argon
Calibration Light Source
Installation and Operation Instructions
Description
The AR-1 Argon Calibration Source is a wavelength calibration source for UV-VIS-Shortwave NIR
spectrophotometric systems. The AR-1 produces Argon lines from 696-1704 nm, and is an ideal lamp
to use when performing fast, accurate spectrometer wavelength calibrations in the NIR range.
The AR-1 features an SMA 905 Connector for interfacing with our optical fibers. It operates with a 12
VDC power supply (included with the unit) or 9V battery (not included).
The following sections detail the features of the AR-1 Argon Calibration Light Sources.
AR-1 Argon Calibration Light Source
Note
The AR-1 is NOT designed to operate as an excitation source in your experiments.
Spectral lines above 922 nm are not easily detectable by Ocean Optics spectrometers.
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AR-1-CAL Installation and Operation Instructions
Parts Included
The AR-1 package includes the following items:
AR-1 Argon Calibration Light Source
12 VDC power supply
WARNING
The beam emerging from the light source contains UV radiation that can cause
serious eye injury upon direct contact with the eye. Never look directly into the
light source.
The SMA 905 Connector may get extremely hot during operation. After lamp
use, allow sufficient time to cool before handling.
Dangerous voltages are present, and there are no user-serviceable parts inside.
Never open the AR-1.
Additional Accessories
The following are additional accessories available from Ocean Optics that you may need, depending
on your system set-up:
Spectrometer
SMA-terminated optical fiber
Ocean Optics software
Connecting the AR-1
Follow the steps below to set up your AR-1 for use.
► Procedure
1. Plug the 12 VDC power supply into a power outlet, then connect the barrel connector of the
power supply to the power input on the rear of the AR-1.
or
Alternately, you can use a 9-volt battery (not included) to power the AR-1. Open the battery
hatch of the AR-1 and install the 9-volt battery, and then proceed to Step 2.
2. Connect a fiber to the SMA 905 Connector on the AR-1. If your spectrometer does not have
an entrance slit, use a 50
reduced optical resolution.
m diameter (or smaller) fiber. Larger fibers and slits result in
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AR-1-CAL Installation and Operation Instructions
Note
If the spectrometer does not have a slit and your experiment requires you to use fibers
of varying diameters, you will need to perform a wavelength calibration after
changing fibers. You should perform a wavelength calibration each time you unscrew
the fiber from the spectrometer and change fiber size.
3. Move the On/Off switch on the AR-1 (next to the SMA 905 Connector) to the On position.
The red LED will illuminate to indicate that the AR-1 is powered on.
You have now configured the AR-1 for use.
Calibrating With the Light Source
The information in this section explains how to calibrate your spectrometer’s wavelength using the
AR-1 light source.
About the Wavelength Calibration
You are going to be solving the following equation, which shows that the relationship between pixel
number and wavelength is a third-order polynomial.
= I + C1 p + C2 p2+ C3p
p
Where = the wavelength of pixel p,
I = the wavelength of pixel 0,
C1 = the first coefficient (nm/pixel),
C2 = the second coefficient (nm/pixel2)
C3 = the third coefficient (nm/pixel3)
You will be calculating the value for I and the three Cs.
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Calibration Requirements for Ocean Optics
Spectrometers
To re-calibrate the wavelength of your Ocean Optics spectrometer using the AR-1, you will need the
following items:
AR-1 Argon Calibration Light Source
Ocean Optics spectrometer and its manual
An optical fiber (for spectrometers without a built-in slit, a 50-m fiber works best)
A spreadsheet program (Excel or Quattro Pro, for example) or a calculator that performs third-
order linear regressions
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AR-1-CAL Installation and Operation Instructions
Note
If you are using Microsoft Excel, choose Tools | Add-Ins and check
AnalysisToolPak and AnalysisTookPak-VBA.
Calibration Procedure
Please see the appropriate manual for your model Ocean Optics spectrometer for instructions
on how to calibrate it. Ocean Optics manuals are located at
http://www.oceanoptics.com/technical/operatinginstructions.asp.
AR-1 Specifications
The following sections detail the specifications of the AR-1.
Spectral Output
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AR-1-CAL Installation and Operation Instructions
Strong AR Emission Lines by Wavelength (nm)
The list below identifies the most prominent Argon peaks:
866.794 1280.274
912.297 1295.666
922.450 1300.826
935.422 1322.811
965.779 1327.264
978.450 1331.321
1047.005 1336.711
1067.357 1350.419
1107.887 1362.266
1144.183 1367.855
1148.811 1371.858
1166.871 1382.572
1171.949 1390.748
1211.233 1409.364
1213.974 1504.650
1234.339 1517.269
1243.932 1532.934
1248.766 1598.949
1270.228 1694.058
1273.342 1704.288
Specifications Table
Output Low-pressure gas discharge lines of Argon
Spectral range 696 – 1704 nm
Dimensions (in mm): 125.7 x 70 x 25.8
Power consumption: 250 mA at 12 VDC
Power requirements: 12 VDC wall transformer (included) or 9 VDC battery (optional)
Bulb life: Approx. 3500 hours (at 20 mA)
Internal voltage: 600 volts at 30 kHz
Aperture: 3 mm
Amplitude stabilization: ~ 1 minute
Connector: SMA 905
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AR-1-CAL Installation and Operation Instructions
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