High resolution UV echelle spectrograph for environmental sensing

Resonance Raman spectroscopy is an enhanced Raman technique that can be used to selectively identify a particular analyte in complex matrices. Resonance Raman requires the excitation laser to overlap with an absorption band of the analyte of interest. Since analytes have diverse absorption spectra, dilute concentrations may be detected when resonantly enhanced. A significant portion of interesting molecules absorb only in the UV; unfortunately current UV Raman instrumentation for scientifically desirable spectral resolution is large and costly. In the area of Homeland Defense, explosives, nerve agents, amino acid residues (for toxin analysis) and nucleic acids (for DNA detection and identification of bacteria) are all enhanced using UV laser sources. EIC Laboratories has developed a more user-friendly UVRRS spectrograph that is based upon the use of an echelle grating. The spectrograph has a footprint of 7" x 11" and is capable of providing 4 cm(-1) resolution over a fairly wide spectral range. The spectrograph design and spectra from analytes of particular relevance will be presented.