Perkin-Elmer Lambda 3B

Spectrophotometer

INTRODUCTION
This manual contains basic operating instructions for the Perkin-ELmer
Lambda-3B spectrophotometer located in the Mass, Optical, and Infrared
Spectroscopy Lab (V14A) at Niagara College. A complete system, consisting
of the spectrophotometer and an R100A pen recorder, this spectrophotometer
is an excellent piece of research laboratory equipment. Its double beam optics
provide a stable flat baseline (the 100% reference) and mean that the sample
does not need to be removed for every wavelength measured. It has a 1 nm
spectral bandwidth and can scan the entire 190-900 nm wavelength range. Our
unit has a special thin-film filter holder installed since it is primarily used
in PHTN1432: Thin-film and High Vacuum Technology as an analytical tool
for thin-film coatings.

OPERATION
Power On:
Remove all samples from the
sample chamber and turn on
both the spectrophotometer (the
switch is on the RIGHT REAR
of the machine beside the
power cord) as well as the
recorder. Press the PEN LIFT button on the recorder and install a pen. You
must now wait for one minute while the machine initializes - the display will
show a countdown while this occurs. Turn on the lamp for the range being
investigated using the switches on the lower-right (front) of the unit: UV for
the UV range below 380nm, VIS for the range 400-900nm. Since the UV
lamp is a deuterium lamp which is valued at $746.05 (!) use this lamp
sparingly only if investigating the UV region (i.e. using quartz NOT glass
substrates). 

Setting the Wavelength:

When the unit is ready, select the start wavelength (the TOP of the scan: if
you are scanning from 400nm to 600nm, 600nm is the starting point) by
entering the wavelength on the keypad, in nanometers, and pressing
theGOTO (LAMBDA) button. The display will show the current wavelength
(likely in the IR when the unit first starts) and will slowly decrease until the
target is reached. In the photo on the left, the wavelength is seen as 500.6nm.
Press the MODE button until the "%T" indicator is lit (usually this is the
default). When the wavelength indicator shows it has reached the target (the
start of the scan), press the AUTO ZERO button with NO SAMPLE
INSTALLED and the SAMPLE DOOR CLOSED. This will set the 100%T
reference and the rightmost display will now read 100.0 as it does here. 
 Inserting The Sample:
Open the sample door by lifting it
and insert the sample into the front
beam path (the thin-film filter
holder) - a filter usually fits between
the aluminum block and the spring
clips. Insert any desired reference,
such as a blank substrate, into the
reference (rear) holder. This is an
optional step which allows the
spectrophotometer to subtract the
effects of a substrate from a coating. 

Starting the Scan:

We are ready to begin a scan but first,
select the SCAN SPD on the
spectrophotometer using the appropriate
button. Speeds are in terms of
nm/minute. Normally a scan speed of
60nm/minute is sufficient. Now select the
recorder paper speed as well - a speed of
60mm/minute is normal - using
the SPD button on the recorder as
shown. When selecting recorder paper
speed ensure the indicator on the right side
of the speed indicator is lit as shown in the
photo. This combination (60nm/min,
60mm/min) means that wavelength scale of
the final graph produced will be scaled so
that one mm is one nm: a 300nm scan from
400nm through 700nm will consume 30cm of paper.
Press the PEN LIFT button on the recorder to lower the pen. Mark this as the
beginning of the scan (high wavelength). Now press RUN on both the
recorder and the spectrophotometer simultaneously. The wavelength display
on the Lambda-3B will begin decreasing and the pen will move accordingly
on the recorder. When the scan is complete (watch the wavelength display)
press STOP on both machines. Press PEN LIFT then PAPER ADV on the
recorder to advance the paper and tear it off. 
An example scan of a commercial dielectric filter. A pencil can be used to
mark directly on the paper the start and stop wavelengths. Note the line at
600nm created when the pen was left in the DOWN position when the filter
was initially installed (with no filter in place, the pen jumps to the 100%
position drawing a line). 

Installation instructions for the Specular Reflectance Accessory

SHUTDOWN
Raise the pen on the recorder. Turn the LAMP switches (lower-right of the
unit) off. Remove all samples from the sample chamber. Wait one minute for
the unit to cool gradually then turn off the power switches on the
spectrophotometer as well as the recorder. Remove the pen from the recorder.

Technical ...
The unit uses two lamps as sources: a 30W 'DZA' halogen lamp for this
visible range (extending to 900nm) and a cold-cathode deuterium lamp for the
UV range below 380nm. Light from the source passes through a
monochromator consisting of a diffraction grating and slits to select a single
wavelength. Monochromatic light then passes through a chopper which
interrupts the sample beam alternatingly passing the light between the
reference and sample beams. These beams pass through their respective cells
and onto a photomultiplier tube where the miniscule amount of light passing
through the samples is detected.

As a backgrounder, see the Scientific American Amateur Scientist article in

January 1975 which describes a dual-beam machine.
Copyright (C) Niagara College, Canada, 2004
This page is part of the SOP Repository Page
Encendido:

Retire todas las muestras de la cámara de muestras y encienda el espectrofotómetro (el interruptor está en el DERECHO
TRASERO de la máquina junto al cable de alimentación), así como la grabadora. Presione el botón PEN LIFT de la grabadora
e instale un lápiz. Ahora debe esperar un minuto mientras la máquina se inicializa - la pantalla mostrará una cuenta regresiva
mientras esto ocurre. Encienda la lámpara para el rango que se está investigando usando los interruptores en la parte inferior
derecha (frontal) de la unidad: UV para el rango de UV por debajo de 380nm, VIS para el rango de 400-900nm. Puesto que la
lámpara UV es una lámpara de deuterio que está valorada en $ 746.05 (!) Use esta lámpara con moderación sólo si se
investiga la región UV (es decir, usando sustratos de cristal de cuarzo NO).