ATR (Attenuated Total Reflectance)

An attenuated total reflection accessory operates by measuring the

changes that occur in a totally internally reflected infrared beam
when the beam comes into contact with a sample. An infrared beam
is directed onto an optically dense crystal with a high refractive
index at a certain angle. This internal reflectance creates an
evanescent wave that extends beyond the surface of the crystal into
the sample held in contact with the crystal. In regions of the infrared
spectrum where the sample absorbs energy, the evanescent wave
will be attenuated. The altered (attenuated) energy from each
evanescent wave is passed back to the IR beam, which then exits the
opposite end of the crystal and is directed at the detector in the IR spectrometer. The detector records
the attenuated IR beam as an interferogram signal, which can then be used to generate an infrared
spectrum.

ARK (Attenuated Total Reflectance Kit) The ARK, the most

stable, rugged, high-energy throughput HATR (horizontal attenuated
total reflectance) available, can be used in the analysis of a variety
of samples. For liquid and solid samples, the ARK is the ideal
choice for both quality control and research laboratories.
Manufactured by Spectra-Tech

The ARK is commonly used for:

Highly (infrared) absorbing liquids

Aqueous solutions
Solvents
Hydrocarbons in solution
Rubbers
Polymer films
Soft compressible powders
Some of the features of the ARK include:

Unique design - integral purge tubes seal the accessory from the atmosphere and the ARK sits in the
FT-IR sample compartment with the cover open, maintaining purge while changing samples and crystal
plates.
Ease of use - tool-free alignment so samples can be analyzed after minimal setup time and changeover
to different crystals can be achieved without alignment.
Versatility - both the trough and flat plate style crystal plates are available to fit the specific analysis.
Leakproof trough plate design - increases reliability by preventing spills into the sample compartment.

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Thunderdome HATR Accessory

The Thunderdome single reflection HATR accessory is available for use on all
Nicolet's spectrometers for the analysis of hard, rigid, small, unyielding and
difficult to analyze samples.
Manufactured by Spectra-Tech
The Thunderdome is useful for:

Single Fibers
Paint Chips
Paper and contaminants
Glass composites
O-rings
Formed-rigid polymers
Printed circuit boards
Polymer beads
Carbon-filled samples
Wet samples
Some of the unique features of the Thunderdome include:

Spherical ATR crystal - allows for "point-to-point" contact with the "Pressure Tower" pressure device.
The fail-safe pressure device eliminates the risk of damage to the crystal surface and reduces the need
for tedious sample positioning.
Concentration of energy to a small spot size - the spherical configuration of the ATR reduces the beam
diameter by two, resulting in a concentration of energy to a smaller spot size. This concentration exerts
more pressure on the sample and ensures optimum sample-to-crystal contact, allowing for the effective
analysis of small samples.
Germanium ATR crystal - is especially useful for analyzing hard polymer and samples thought to
require more expensive diamond sampling accessories. In addition, the effective pathlength of the
germanium crystal allows the measurement of highly-absorbing, carbon-filled or wet samples.
Purgeable - alignment free and baseplate mounted for stability.

Single Bounce HATR

The single bounce HATR accessory's unique optical design produces

a single reflection through the sample area. This yields a shorter,
effective pathlength through the sample, making the single bounce
HATR the ideal accessory for the analysis of strong IR
absorbers.
Manufactured by Spectra-Tech

Since this is a high throughput accessory, the Single Bounce HATR is

commonly used for both qualitative and quantitative analysis of:

Strongly absorbing samples

Aqueous liquids
Organic liquids
Pastes
Organic and inorganic powdered solids
The Single Bounce HATR accessory comes equipped with the following features:

Single reflection ZnSe crystal - ideal for many types of samples and has a wide spectroscopic range and
durable mechanical qualities. If you wish to expand the sample range of the accessory, a single bounce
germanium crystal is an available option.
High throughput sampling - yields increased sensitivity and maximum reproducibility.
Easy of use - no sample preparation necessary in most cases and a lesser amount of sample volume is
required.
Spectral subtraction - for samples with high absorbency values.

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Gemini
The Gemini is a dual technique accessory, making it the
only accessory that takes the two most widely used
sampling techniques, horizontal ATR and diffuse
reflectance, and rolls them into one accessory.
Combining these techniques into one easy to use
accessory is a cost-effective way to analyze many
different types of samples. The versatility of the Gemini
allows for easy analysis of almost any liquid or solid
sample. Therefore, the accessory is an ideal choice for
laboratories where a broad range of sample analysis is
performed.
Manufactured by Spectra-Tech

The Gemini is commonly used for:

Various liquid or solid samples
Gels
Pastes
Hard and soft powders
Films
Inorganics
Raw materials
Pharmaceutical analysis
Features of the Gemini include:

One of the most versatile accessories available - this accessory can be configured for either diffuse
reflectance analysis or for HATR analysis, resulting in an accessory that can tackle almost any sample.
Easy, reproducible change over between the two techniques - changing from diffuse analysis to ATR
analysis is as easy as removing the diffuse piece of the accessory and replacing it with an ATR crystal.
The best features in other accessories are incorporated into the Gemini accessory - integral purge
capabilities, enhanced stability and high-energy throughput are all a part of our newest accessory
addition.
Choice of accessory kits - three kits are available to chose from: a Gemini trough plate, a Gemini flat
plate and a Gemini combination. All three kits come with the same diffuse reflectance capabilities and
an ATR accessory. The Gemini trough plate kit comes with a 45o ZnSe trough-shaped plate and is
typically used for analysis of liquids, pastes and gels by HATR and solids by diffuse reflectance. The
Gemini flat plate kit comes with a 45o ZnSe flat sampling plate and a Gripper Sample Clamp to
provide even, reproducible pressure to the sample. Film samples are typically analyzed with this kit by
HATR and solids by diffuse reflectance. The Gemini combination kit comes with a 45o ZnSe trough
plate and a 45o ZnSe flat sampling plate for the analysis of anything from liquids to powder and films.
Standard Sample Compartment Accessories
Transmission | ATR | Diffuse Reflectance
Specular Reflectance | Gas Cells | Probes | Specialty Accessories

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