Difference Between Single Beam Spectrometer And Double Beam Spectrometer

Spectroscopy is a widely used procedure in the scientific and analytical world. It is more of use in optical measurements of various biological specimens and samples.  Spectroscopy is the study of light radiation over the biological samples in the instrument. As the light energy interacts, the measurement is made in the optical instrument.  The matter present in the biological sample absorbs the energy laced in the light radiation and creates an excited state for the photon used.  The transition from the ground state to the excited state is seen in the spectrometer’s visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum.  This detection is visualized by the naked eyes of the researcher and scientist.   Spectrometer instruments deal with a variety of biological specimens that can measure specific and non-specific spectrums of light or photons.  The results obtained from the electromagnetic spectrum are used for the assessment process. Spectroscopy has a component called a spectrometer which is used as an application in the analytical laboratory. A researcher needs spectrometry instruments for the assessment of results and other laboratory methods.

The same prospect is with a double beam Uv spectrophotometer which deals with the measurement of absorbance on the biological specimen.  In a sample, there are many biochemical entities present which absorb the light form called a photon.  Both spectrometer and spectrophotometer go hand in hand in a scientific laboratory.  In simple terms, spectroscopy helps in the study of absorption and emission of light by the matter present in the sample.  This has expanded the interactions of various atomic elements.  Multiple scientific subjects study are the results of the spectroscopic studies done in the analytical laboratory. 

What Is A Spectrometer?

A typical spectrometer is a type of spectroscopic device which is used for measuring electromagnetic radiation wavelengths for a given biological sample. The incident light interacts with the samples’ molecules and transmits the energy forward.  A spectrophotometer is a sub-category of the spectrometer which manipulates the light energy from a light source and assesses the results.

In the case of most of the spectrophotometers, they use color measurement techniques with a reference point in the device.  This makes it a perfect reflecting diffuser to which the white standardization tile may be traced through the specimens.  The output from a double beams spectrophotometer and single beam spectrophotometer  is a spectral curve. The curve obtained is like a fingerprint of the color of the biological sample. From these spectral curves results, tristimulus values and then other colorimetric values can be calculated in both single and double beam spectrophotometers.  These spectral curve results may also be used in the computer color matching technique which is connected to the spectrophotometers.

This is not the case with the various spectrometers. They do not use any color reference, instead, they have a standard reference point by which the results are obtained.   In most cases of spectroscopic analysis, spectrophotometers are used rather than spectrometers. Due to the various features of spectrophotometry, it is widely used for this purpose.

Types Of Spectrometers :

The market has many types of spectrometers which are used for the assessments of various biological specimens.   Following are the types of spectrometers :

• Absorption Spectrometer :

The spectrometer of this nature is characterized by the absorption process over the sample. Here, light rays get absorbed concerning the wavelength of incident light.  All sample molecules get excited from the ground state when they absorb the light.  This mode is also called a double beam spectrophotometer or double beam spectrometer.

• Infrared spectrometer :

In this spectroscopic device, the infrared range is used for measuring the vibrations of all the interatomic bonds present in the sample.  The reflected light is measured at different frequencies during exposure to infrared light rays. Both single and double spectrophotometer is used for the infrared spectroscopic process.

• X-Ray Spectrometer

The biological samples have many types of molecules present which become excited on incident light rays.  Those electrons or sub-atomic elements which get excited falls into the vacancy of the energy absorption where the x-ray fluorescence emission spectrum is produced for obtaining results.

• Ultraviolet Spectrometer

This type is called a double beam UV visible spectrophotometer, where ultraviolet rays are used. These rays are meant to fall into the surface of the biological specimens, where the molecules can absorb it and then emit the electromagnetic spectrum for assessment. This type of spectroscopic device is used to investigate chemical bonding within the sample’s molecules.

Major Differences Between The Single Beam Spectrophotometer And Double Beam Spectrophotometer / Spectrometer

As far as the differences are concerned between the two. They are the same upto some extent but differ in some parameters. They are as follows :

1.  Light Beam Number In A Spectrometer

In a double beam spectrometer, the incident light beam is split into two parts. While in the single beam spectrometer, there is only one beam, which strikes the biological sample from a light source.

The double beam spectrometer, the two beams of light, have different parts to illuminate in the sample.  The first part falls on the reference standard and the second part falls on the whole of the specimen. In these cases, the light beams may be recombined before they reach a single monochromator attached to the spectrometer. In the whole of the spectroscopic instruments, the spectrometers use the monochromator devices for selecting the wavelengths of the light. The two light sources used in the double beam spectrometer are very statistically used for obtaining the results.   With such specifications , double beam spectrophotometers have become popular.

While in the single beam spectrometers, the light beam is single from a light source which work is to illuminate the specimen as well as the reference points.  The monochromator selects the wavelength of light used here.

2. Assessments  Done By An Single And Double Beam Spectrometers

The measurements done by a single beam spectrometer are taken from a single beam of light. But the assessments made here are less reproducible as only a single light beam is used for it. Because of this, single beam spectrometers are not used that much in the research lab.

On the contrary, the double beam spectrometer’s assessments are highly reproducible and precise. As it uses the chemical and electronic effects on biological samples and reference beams at an equal space. So, because of this, the double beam spectrometer is used vastly over the single beam spectrometers. In this case, the beam of light affects references and samples in equal space.

3. The Nature Of Light Used

It is the same as the single and double beam spectrophotometers used in the laboratory. The same monochromator is used in the single and double beam spectrometers for wavelength selection.  The single beam is used in the single beam spectrometer and the double beam is used in the double beam spectrometer.  Just a small difference that arises with the double beam is that it has the light beam in split nature, which is absent in the single beam spectrometer.

Conclusion

Both the single and double spectrometers are used in analytical laboratories which are best for making good spectroscopic results. A slight difference is present between the two which is well considered for the operation of the spectrometers. As a researcher you can check, the UV spectrometer price online as well as offline medium.