Architecture · Gemini-Red series
Single-input dual-detector NIR spectrometers
Broadband NIR measurement from 900 to 2500 nm exceeds the optimal range of a single InGaAs detector. The Gemini-Red single-input dual-detector architecture covers 900–2500 nm with two InGaAs channels behind one optical input, for measurements in which sample geometry, detector noise, integration time and wavelength coverage all have to be managed together.
Architecture
One sample spot, two detectors, an internal split
Architecture
One SMA input, two InGaAs channels, 900–2500 nm
The optical input is split internally into two NIR detection bands, typically 900–1700 nm and 1600–2500 nm. Both bands observe the same optical input, so a difference between the channels reflects the sample rather than a difference in sampling location. Each channel is then optimized independently, with integration time and gain set for its signal level and detector behavior.
- Two InGaAs arrays behind a single SMA905 input
- Independent integration time and gain per channel
- Hardware synchronization so both bands capture the same event
- Ethernet, USB and GPIO for OEM and industrial integration
- Onboard buffering
Sampling geometry
A single sample spot for heterogeneous materials
Grain, soil, ore, mixed plastics and coated films are not uniform at the scale of a fiber spot. A Y-fiber feeding two separate benches samples two slightly different places, and the join between the channels inherits that difference. A single input removes that sampling artifact from the comparison. Independent gain and integration then allow the long-wavelength band, where InGaAs quantum efficiency and source intensity both decrease, to be optimized without compromising the short-wavelength band.
Applications
Applications for extended NIR coverage
Semiconductor films and polymers with long-wavelength features, agriculture and food composition, environmental sensing, geology and mining, polymer identification and recycling, material identification and process monitoring. When the chemistry of interest lies below 1700 nm, a SideWinder single bench is the simpler and lower-cost instrument.
Applications
Related applications
Product lines
Related product lines
NIR
SideWinder NIR Spectrometer
Market-leading NIR performance
System
Dual Spectrometer Systems (DS Series)
Integrate two spectrometers with a common trigger for extended range
NIR
DragonFly NIR Spectrometer
Programmable NIR based on Texas Instruments' DLP technology
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
- What is the key benefit of a single optical input?
- Both NIR bands view the same sample spot, which removes the possibility that a channel-to-channel difference is a sampling artifact.
- Why two InGaAs channels instead of one extended array?
- The 900–1700 nm and 1600–2500 nm regions have different signal levels, noise behavior and cooling requirements. Separate channels allow each band to be optimized for its own detector physics.
- Can this architecture be used in OEM systems?
- Yes. The Gemini-Red series is specified with Ethernet, USB and GPIO, independent integration settings and hardware synchronization for OEM integration.
Related architectures
Ethernet-ready spectrometers
Gigabit Ethernet with onboard memory, ring-buffer and batch acquisition, near-zero trigger latency and hardware reset for OEM and industrial systems.
Deep-UV SmartEngine
Nitrogen-purged 155–410 nm configurations for plasma emission, source monitoring, UV inspection and thin-film metrology.
Dual and wide-range architectures
Two optical benches on one trigger: UV-Vis plus NIR systems covering 180–1700 nm, and staged coverage toward 2500 nm.
Next step
Discuss a dual-detector NIR configuration with an engineer
Send the sample type, the chemistry of interest and the measurement geometry. An engineer will recommend the dual-detector architecture or a single NIR bench, whichever suits the measurement.