Complete software control – Bruker’s OPUS software allows selection of the IR source, apertures, optical filters, sample channels, and detectors without breaking the instrument’s vacuum.
Dry N2 purging – significantly reduces the amount of time required to vent and re-evacuate the instrument when swapping beam splitters.
Advanced optics – easily incorporate additional optical elements, such as polarizers or cut-off filters, into the beam path.
External illumination – sapphire windows mounted perpendicular to the IR beam path allows one to check the effect of external illumination on a material; e.g., the effect of above-bandgap illumination on charge carriers.
Specialized sample holders - various holders available to accommodate crystalline samples of different sizes (5 × 5 or 10 × 10 mm2 preferred). Each holder can accommodate typically 6-8 samples, reducing the time required to exchange samples.
Temperature-dependent measurements – sample cooling/heating in He exchange gas between 5 and 295 K using a LakeShore Model 335 temperature controller.
Automatic data acquisition – custom-written LabVIEW code issues joint commands to the spectrometer, temperature controller, and sample positioner, allowing automated measurements of, e.g., multiple samples at pre-defined temperatures.
Sample Limitations – Currently, samples are limited to bulk single crystal samples or thin films deposited on IR transparent substrates. Measurements of powders or liquids are not possible with our setup. Measurements of gas-phase samples should be discussed in more detail between the user and the lab responsible.
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