The C10988MA-01 sensor from Hamamatsu Photonics is an ultra-compact spectrometer built with Micro-Opto-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MOEMS) technology. Measuring only 27.6 x 13 x 16.8 mm and weighing just 9 grams, the device is intended to be used in portable and hand-held devices where a standard mini-spectrometer would be too large and consume too much power.

 

The new device features an aberration-corrected concave grating with a very short focal length and blazed grating profile for high diffraction efficiency. The grating is replicated onto a convex glass lens using nano-print technology. Directly opposite the grating there is a dedicated CMOS silicon image sensor with an on-chip slit. This 75 x 750 µm slit is formed in the CMOS chip using MEMS technology. The distance between the sensor and slit is only 1 mm, and the distance between the grating and the image sensor distance a mere 8.5 mm. Thanks to its novel design, the sensor offers a spectral resolution of 14 nm in the wavelength range of 340 to 750 nm, making it suitable for a variety of visible light applications requiring a miniaturized spectrometer head.