Episode 1: Miniaturized spectrometer exhibits detectivity from UV to NIR

In this podcast episode, MRS Bulletin’s Laura Leay interviews Harry Schrickx and Brendan O’Connor from North Carolina State University about their proof-of-concept for a miniaturized spectrometer. With the use of organic components, the spectrometer has a low-power requirement and is sensitive to wavelengths ranging from ultraviolet to near infrared. A unique feature of the design is back-to-back diodes. The research group uses a reconstruction algorithm to determine the spectrum of the incident light, having first been trained using known wavelengths of monochromatic light. The algorithm accounts for noise and instability in the final solution to produce the spectrum. This work was published in a recent issue of Device.