Ocean Optics QE Pro Install User Manual

QE Pro Scientific-grade Spectrometer

Install ation and Operation Manual

Document Number 891-00000-000-02-201401

Offices: Ocean Optics, Inc. World Headquarters

830 Douglas Ave., Dunedin, FL, USA 34698

Phone [phone]
Fax [phone]

8 a.m.– 6 p.m. (M on-Fri) ET

E-mail: [e-mail] (General sales inquiries)

[e-mail] (Questions about orders)
[e-mail] (Technical support)

000-00000-000-02-A

Additional

Ocean Optics Asia

Phone

86.21.5206.8686

Offices:

666 Gubei Road, Kirin Tower, Suite 601B, Changning District,
Shanghai, PRC. 200336

Fax [phone]
E-Mail [e-mail]

Ocean Optics EMEA

Sales and Support Center
Geograaf 24, 6921 EW DUIVEN, The Netherlands

Phone [phone]

Fax [phone]
E-Mail [e-mail]

Regional Headquarters
Maybachstrasse 11
73760 Ostfildern

Phone [phone]
Fax [phone]
E-Mail [e-mail]

Copyright © 2014 Ocean Optics, Inc.

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 a s part of an order and subject to th e cond ition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, 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 ma r ks, registered trademarks or registered service marks of their respective owners.

Limit of Liability

Every effort has been made to make this manual as comp lete and as accurate as possible, but no warranty or fitn ess is implied . The information provided is
on an “as is” basis. Ocean O p tics, 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

Document Summary .................................................................................................................. iii

Product-Related Documentation ............................................................................................... iii

Upgrades ....................................................................................................................... iv

Warranty ........................................................................................................................ iv

Chapter 1: Introduction ..................................................................... 1

Product Overview .......................................................................................................... 1

Models ........................................................................................................................... 2

Features ........................................................................................................................ 2

System Requirements ................................................................................................... 3

EEPROM Utili zat ion .................................................................................................................. 3

About Ocean Optics Sof twar e ................................................................................................... 4

Sampling System Overview....................................................................................................... 4

How Sampling Works ............................................................................................................ 4

Modular Sampling Accessories ............................................................................................. 4

Interface Options ........................................................................................................... 4

Shipment Components .................................................................................................. 5

Other Accessories Available .......................................................................................... 6

Breakout Box ............................................................................................................................. 6

Chapter 2: Installing the QE Pro ....................................................... 7

Overview ....................................................................................................................... 7

QE Pro Installation ......................................................................................................... 7

USB Mode ................................................................................................................................. 7

Serial Port Mode ........................................................................................................................ 8

LED Operation ........................................................................................................................... 8

Configuring the QE Pro.................................................................................................. 8

Configuring QE Pro in OceanView ............................................................................................ 9

OceanView QE Pro Acquisition Controls .............................................................................. 10

Connect Spectroscopic Accessories .............................................................................. 12

External Triggering Options ........................................................................................... 12

891-00000-000-02-201401 i

Table of Contents

Chapter 3: Troubleshooting .............................................................. 13

Overview ....................................................................................................................... 13

QE Pro Connected to Computer Prior to Software Installation ....................................... 13

Windows Operating Systems .................................................................................................... 13

Remove the Unknown Device from Windows Device Manager ........................................... 13

Remove Improperly Installed Files ........................................................................................ 14

Mac Operating Systems ............................................................................................................ 14

Linux Operating Systems .......................................................................................................... 14

Appendix A: Calibrating the Wavelength of t he Q E Pro ................. 15

Overview ....................................................................................................................... 15

About Wavelength Calibration ....................................................................................... 15

Calibrating the Spectrometer ......................................................................................... 16

Preparing for Calibration ............................................................................................................ 16

Calibrating the Wavelength of the Spectrometer ...................................................................... 16

Saving the New Calibration Coefficients: USB Mode ..................................................... 18

Appendix B: Specifications ............................................................... 21

Overview ....................................................................................................................... 21

How the QE Pro Works.................................................................................................. 21

QE Pro Components Table ....................................................................................................... 22

QE Pro Specifications .................................................................................................... 23

CCD Detector Specifications ..................................................................................................... 23

QE Pro Spectrometer Specifications ......................................................................................... 23

System Compatibility ..................................................................................................... 24

30-Pin Accessory Connector Pinout .............................................................................. 24

30-Pin Accessory Connector Pinout Diagram ........................................................................... 25

30-Pin Accessory Connector – Pin Definitions and Descriptions .............................................. 25

30-Pin J2 Accessory Connector - Part Num bers....................................................................... 27

HR4-CBL-DB15 Accessory Cable Pinout ...................................................................... 27

Index ................................................................................................... 28

ii 891-00000-000-02-201401

About This Manual

Document Purpose and Intended Audience

This document provides the user of the QE Pro Spectrometer with instructions for setting up, calibrating
and performing experiments with their spectrometer.

Document Summary

Chapter Description

Chapter 1: Introduction

Chapter 2: Installing the QE Pro

Chapter 3: Troubleshooting

Appendix A:Calibrating the

Wavelength of the QE Pro

Appendix B: Specifications

Contains descriptive information about the QE Pro Spectrometer and
how sampling works. It also provides a list of system requirements,
interface options, and shipment components.

Provides installation and configuration instructions.
Contains recommended steps to isolate and correct common

problems.
Provides instructions for calibrating the QE Pro Spectrometer.

Contains technical specifications and connector pinouts for the QE
Pro Spectrometer.

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 Search by Model Number field at the bottom
of the web page.

• Detailed instructions for OceanView Spectrometer Operatin g Sof tw a re is lo c ated at:

http://www.oceanoptics.com/technical/OceanViewI&O.pdf

• Installation instructions for the replaceabl e slits are loc ate at:

http://www.oceanoptics.com/technical/INTSMAinstall.pdf

• Detailed instructions for the Breakout Box are located at:

http://www.oceanoptics.com/technical/HR4_breakout.pdf

• Detailed instructions for External Triggering for firmware versions 3.0 and above are located at:

http://www.oceanoptics.com/technical/external-triggering2.pdf

. Select Technical → Operating Instructions, then choose the appropriate

Engineering-level documentation is located on our website at Technical → Engineering Docs.

• http://www.oceanoptics.com/technical/engineeringdocs.asp

891-00000-000-02-201401 iii

About This Manual

Upgrades

Occasionally, you may find that you need Ocean Optics to make a change or an upgrade to your system.
To facilitate these changes, 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.

Warranty

Our 3-Year Warranty covers Ocean Optics miniature fiber optic spectrometers, light sources and
sampling accessories – regardless of the application – from manufacturing defects. It also covers fibers
and probes for a full 12 months: http://www.oceanoptics.com/warranty.asp

This comprehensive warranty ensures you of the highest level of craftsmanship and reliability for years to
come. No other manufacturer offers such a solid guarantee of quality and reliability.

The Ocean Optics 3-Year Warranty applies to Ocean Optics equipment (excluding OEM configurations)
purchased on or after July 1, 2010. The warranty covers parts and labor needed to repair manufacturing
defects that occur during the warranty period. We also will cover the costs of shipping warranty-related
repairs from our customers to Ocean Optics and from us to our customers.

WARNING

This is a Class A product. In a domestic environment this product may cause radio

interference in which case the user may be required to take adequate measures.

FCC COMPLIANCE

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A

digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to

provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is

operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses and can

radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the

instruction manual, may cause harm ful int er feren c e to radio com mun ica tion s.

Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful

interference in which the user will be required to correct the interference at his on

expense.

WARNING: The authority to operate this equipment is conditioned by the

requirement that no modifications will be made to the equipment unless the changes

or modifications are expressly approved by the manufacturer.

iv 891-00000-000-02-201401

Chapter 1

Introduction

Product Overview

The Ocean Optics QE Pro Spectrom eter is a scientific-grade spectrom ete r that is ideal for resea rch ers and
industrial customers. Its broadband sensitivity, from UV to NIR, makes it suitable for a wide range of
applications, while its high sensitivity and thermo electric cooler enable effective measurements at very
low light levels. The QE Pro also has the highest dynamic range of any fiber optic CCD spectrometer in
its class.

Two LEDs are provided to monitor spectrometer and TEC operation. The QE Pro operates from power
provided from a separate +5VDC power supply.

Ocean Optics QE Pro High-Sensitivity Fiber Optic Spectrometer

The QE Pro features a Hamamatsu low-etaloning, back-thinned FFT-CCD detector with a 2-D
arrangement of pixels (1044 horizontal x 64 vertical) that is responsive from 200-1100 nm and has a peak
quantum efficiency of ~90% (with a QE of 65% at 250 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 from 40°C below ambient up to 50°C 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 60 m inu tes, which greatly enhances the detection limit in low­light level appl ications. The back-illuminated detec to r h as enhanced response in the UV. The inherent UV
response eliminates the need for UV-sensitive detector coatings that can be difficult to apply consistently
from batch to batch.

The combination of the spectrometer’s low-noise detector and 18-bit A/D Converter delivers a dynamic
typical range of ~85,000:1 and a signal-to-noise ratio of 1000:1 (at full signa l ).

Replaceable slits are offered for added convenience.

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1: Introduction

The QE Pro’s onboard module has 10 user-programmable digital I/O lines for interfacing to other
equipment; and a pulse generator for triggering other devices. You can use the I/Os to flash a lamp,
stop/start a process, and send a message/alarm during the spectrometer’s integration period. The
spectrometer’s operating parameters can be controlled through software. In fact, wavelength calibration
coefficients unique to each spectrometer are programmed into a memory chip right on the spectrometer.

The QE Pro’s high-speed electronics have been designed for considerable flexibility in connecting to
various modules and external interfaces, including PCs, PLCs and other embedded controllers, through
USB 2.0 or RS-232 communications.

A +5 VDC external power supply is required to operate the spectrometer. This power supply is included
with your spectrometer.

Models

The QE Pro is custom configurable for your specific application. In addition, the following preconfigured
models are offered:

• QE Pro-ABS – For absorbance, reflection, irradiance and transmission measurements with a

wavelength range of 200 – 950 nm

• QE Pro-FL – For fluorescence measurements with a wavelength range of 350 – 1100 nm

• QE Pro-Raman – for 785 nm Raman analysis with a wavelength range of 780 – 1100 nm (preset

for 785 Raman)

Features

• Hamamatsu S7031-1006S Detector:

• Typical dynamic range ~85,000:1

• Peak QE: 90%

• Back-thinned for enhanced UV sensitivity

• Integration times from 8 ms to 60 minutes

• TE Cooled

• Scientific-grade Optical Bench:

• Symmetrical Crossed Czerny Turner

• 101mm focal length

• F number : f/4

• Interchangeable slits

• 14 gratings (H1 – H14); HC1

• 6 slit widths, plus no slit in SMA or FC bulkhead

• Communications

• USB 2.0 Full Speed

• RS232 up to 460K Baud

• Thermo Electric Cooler (TEC)

• Software-controlled set-point

2 891-00000-000-02-201401

1: Introduction

• LED indicator to show when the TEC is stable and accurate

• Temperature stability: <0.1ºC

• Continuous TEC setpoint control from 40ºC below ambient up to 50 ºC

• GPIO

• Single strobe

• Continuous strobe

• 10 user-programmable digital I/O pins

• SPI/I2C for controlling peripherals

• Nonvolatile storage

• Wavelength calibration coefficients

• Linearity correction coefficients

• Absolute irradiance calibration (optional)

• Buffering

• Triggering (4 modes)

• Resets

• Watchdog timer for reliability

• Hardware power recycle via reset pin or software command

• Kensington

®

security slot

• LEDs for feedback on TEC readiness and general spectrometer health

• Software support:

• OceanView

• OmniDriver

• SeaBreeze

• CE certification

System Requirements

You can use the QE Pro’s USB connectivity with any computer that meets the requirements for the
spectrometer operating software being used (W indow s XP/Vista/Windows 7, Mac OS X and Linux). See

About Ocean Optics Software

Alternately, the QE Pro has a serial port for connecting to PCs and PLCs. However, this connection
method requires an external power supply to power the QE Pro, the Breakout Box, and a serial cable.

EEPROM Utilization

Nonvolatile memory in each QE Pro contains wavelength calibration coefficients, linearity coefficients,
and a serial number unique to each individual spectrometer. The OOI software application reads these
values directly from the spectrometer, enabling the ability to “hot-swap” spectrometers between
computers without entering the spectrometer coefficients manually on each computer.

891-00000-000-02-201401 3

.

1: Introduction

About Ocean Optics Software

OceanView is the latest generation of operating software for all Ocean Optics spectrometers. It is a
completely modular, Java-based spectroscopy software platform that operates on Windows, Macintosh
and Linux operating systems. The software can control any Ocean Optics USB spectrometer and device.

OceanView is a user-customizable, advanced acquisition and display program that provides a real-time
interface to a variety of signal-processing functions. With OceanView, you have the ability to perform
spectroscopic measurements (such as absorbance, reflectance, and emission), control all system
parameters, collect and display data in real time, and perform reference monitoring and time acquisition
experiments. Consult the OceanView manual for hardware requirements when using OceanView (see

Product-Related Documentation

).

Sampling System Overview

How Sampling Work s

Ocean Optics components function in a sampling system as follows in this example:

1. The user stores reference and dark measurements to correct for instrument response variables.

2. The light transmits through an optical fiber to the sample.

3. The light interacts with the sample.

4. Another optical fiber collects and transmits the result of the interaction to the spectrometer.

5. The spectrometer measures the amount of light and transforms the data collected by the

spectrometer into digital information.

6. The spectrometer passes the sample information to Ocean Optics software.

7. Ocean Optics software compares the sample to the reference measurement and displays processed

spectral info rmation.

Modular Sampling Accessories

Ocean Optics offers a complete line of spectro scop ic ac cesso ri es for use with the QE Pro. Most of our
spectroscopic accessories have SMA connectors for application flexibility. Accordingly, changing the
sampling system components is as easy as unscrewing a connector and replacing an accessory.

Interface Options

The QE Pro has both USB and serial port connectors (with the use of an adapter), enabling you to connect
the spectrometer to a desktop or notebook computer via a USB port or serial port.

4 891-00000-000-02-201401

1: Introduction

Computer
Interface

Computer via
USB Port

Desktop or
Notebook PC
via Serial Port

Operating System Requirements Part Needed Description of Part

OceanView: Windows XP/Vista/7/8 for PC;
OS X version 10.5 or later for Mac; and
Red Hat 9 or later, Fedora (any version),
Debian 3.1 or later (Sarge), and any version
released for an x86 or amd64 platform since
2010 for Linux

Any 32-bit or 64-bit Windows operating
system

Shipment Components

 QE Pro Spectrometer
 USB-CBL-1
 + 5VDC power supply

USB-CBL-1
(included)

HR4­BREAKOUT
(not
included)

Cable that connects from USB
port on QE Pro to USB port on
desktop or notebook PC

Adapter block that enables
connection from serial port on
QE Pro to serial port on
desktop or notebook PC;
comes with 5 VDC power
supply (required when
connecting to serial port)

The following information and documentation also ships with the QE Pro 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.

 Wavelength Calibration Data Sheet

Each spectrometer is shipped with a Wavelength Calibration Data Sheet that contains information

unique to your spectrometer. Your spectrom eter operating software reads this calibration data

from your spectrometer when it interfaces to a computer via the USB port.

Note

Please save the Wavelength Calibration Data Sheet for future reference.

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