Solid-State Array Detectors for Analytical Spectrometry

Solid-state array detectors are revolutionizing the ® eld of atomic and molecular spectroscopy.1,2 They enable the analyst to acquire vast amounts of spectrally and/or spatially resolved data in short periods of time. These detectors offer high quantum ef® ciency, low read noise, wide dynamic range, low power requirements, and rugged, but compact, packaging. In addition, as solid-state technology improves at a rapid rate, the cost of these detectors is continuously decreasing, while exibility in design is increasing. As a result, a wide variety of arrays are currently commercially available, with even more on the horizon. The purpose of this article is, ® rst, to provide the reader with an introduction to the variety and the nature of solidstate array detectors and, second, to show how the design of complementary detectors and dispersion optics provides increased analytical capabilities. This article is not intended to be a comprehensive survey. The instruments chosen as examples were selected to illustrate the impact of solid-state array detectors on spectrometry.