All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from Ocean Optics, Inc.
This manual is sold as part of an order and subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or
otherwise circulated without the prior consent of Ocean Optics, Inc. in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published.
Trademarks
All products and services herein are the trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks or registered service marks of their respective owners.
Limit of Liability
Ocean Optics has made every effort to ensure that this manual as complete and as accurate as possible, but no warranty or fitness is implied. The
information provided is on an “as is” basis. Ocean Optics, Inc. shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to
any loss or damages arising from the information contained in this manual.
Table of Contents
About This Manual......................................................................................................... iii
Document Purpose and Intended Audience..............................................................................iii
Index ...................................................................................................31
ii 203-00000-DRA-02-
About This Manual
Document Purpose and Intended Audience
This document provides you with installation and operation instructions for your Dragon spectrometer.
Document Summary
ChapterDescription
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Quantum Software Icons
Chapter 3: Experiments
Appendix: Maintenance
Provides an overview of spectroscopy and spectrometers.
Contains a list of the icons and their functions in Quantum
software.
Provides a variety of experiments to perform using Dragon
and Quantum software.
Provides suggested maintenance and a table of possible
problems and suggested solutions.
Product-Related Documentation
You can access documentation for Ocean Optics products by visiting our website at
http://www.oceanoptics.com
document from the available drop-down lists. Or, use the
of the web page.
You can also access operating instructions for Ocean Optics products on the
Resources
Engineering-level documentation is located on our website at
CD included with the system.
. Select Technical → Operating Instructions, then choose the appropriate
Search by Model Number field at the bottom
Software and Technical
Technical → Engineering Docs.
Warranty
Ocean Optics offers a 90-day warranty on Dragon spectrometers. You must first contact Customer
Support and obtain a Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) number. Please contact Ocean Optics for
specific instructions when returning a product.
203-00000-DRA-02-0210 iii
About This Manual
0210
iv 203-00000-DRA-02-
Chapter 1
Introduction
Product Overview
The Ocean Optics Dragon is a high-value miniature spectrometer that delivers 350 – 900 nm spectral
coverage with a minimum 2.0 (FWHM) optical resolution with a 50 micron fiber. Dragon includes
Quantum operating software for performing basic spectroscopy functions such as absorbance,
transmission and emission. The spectrometer has an SMA 905 connector for attaching patch cords and
other accessories.
Dragon is low-cost and has a small footprint, making it ideal as a general purpose instrument for budgetconscious teaching and research labs. It uses a detector with 300 active pixels.
Data programmed into a memory chip on each Dragon includes wavelength calibration coefficients,
linearity coefficients, and the serial number unique to each spectrometer. Our Quantum spectrometer
operating software simply reads these values from the spectrometer — a feature that enables hot
swapping of spectrometers among computers.
Dragon connects to a computer via the USB port and draws power from the host computer, eliminating
the need for an external power supply.
Ocean Optics Dragon Spectrometer
203-00000-DRA-02-0210 1
Chapter 1: Introduction
0210
Features
A 2048-element linear silicon CCD array detector
Responsive from 350 to 900 nm
An optical resolution of ~2.0 nm (FWHM) with a 50 micron fiber
Integration times from 3 ms to 65 seconds
Embedded microcontroller allows programmatic control of all operating parameters
EEPROM storage for
Wavelength Calibration Coefficients
Linearity Correction Coefficients
Other configuration parameters
Low power consumption
12 bit, 1MHz A/D Converter
USB connector for interfacing to a computer
System Requirements
You can use Dragon’s USB connectivity with a PC running the Microsoft Windows operating system.
Shipment Components
The following information and documentation ships with the Red Tide Spectrometer:
Packing List
The packing list is inside a plastic bag attached to the outside of the shipment box (the invoice
arrives separately). It lists all items in the order, including customized components in the
spectrometer (such as the grating, detector collection lens, and slit). The packing list also includes
the shipping and billing addresses, as well as any items on back order.
USB Cable (USB-CBL-1)
Use this cable to connect your spectrometer to a computer running on a Windows, Mac or Linux
operating system.
Dragon CD
Each order ships with a CD that contains Quantum software and these operating instructions. You
need Adobe Acrobat Reader version 6.0 or higher to view these files.
2 203-00000-DRA-02-
Chapter 1: Introduction
Other Accessories Available
Visit us at www.OceanOptics.com for a complete list of products available for all of your spectroscopy
needs.
Fibers
Light Sources
Integrated Sampling Systems
Cuvettes
Filter Holders
203-00000-DRA-02-0210 3
Chapter 1: Introduction
0210
.
4 203-00000-DRA-02-
Chapter 2
Installing Dragon
Overview
You must install the Quantum software application prior to connecting Dragon to your computer. The
Quantum software installation installs the drivers required for Dragon installation. If you do not install
Quantum first, the system will not properly recognize Dragon.
Quantum Software Installation
The Quantum software used to operate your Dragon spectrometer is on the Dragon CD. Double-click on
the Quantum Software setup.exe file and follow the prompts in the Installation Wizard.
Dragon Installation
► Procedure
Follow the steps below to connect Dragon to a computer via the USB port:
1.Install Quantum software (setup.exe) from the Dragon CD on the destination computer.
2.Locate the USB cable (USB-CBL-1) provided with Dragon.
3.Insert the square end of the cable into the side of Dragon containing the USB port.
4.Insert the rectangular end of the cable into the USB port of the computer.
5.If you have an optical fiber, connect it to the SMA connector on the other end of the
spectrometer.
203-00000-DRA-02-0210 5
Chapter 3: Quantum Software Icons
0210
Once you install the software and hardware and establish your sampling system, you are ready to take
measurements.
Connect Spectroscopic Accessories
To find operating instructions for Dragon-compatible products (such as light sources, sampling chambers,
and probes), consult the