What Are The Types of Lamps in An UV-Vis Spectrophotometer?
Deuterium Lamp
Also known as D2 lamp, its wavelength range is from of 190nm - 370nm. Because of its high temperature behavior, the normal glass housing is not suitable, but requires quartz, MgF₂, or other materials. Life time of a typical deuterium lamp is about 1000 hours. An UV / Vis spectrophotometer, will design a deuterium lamp with a halogen lamps, in order to cover the entire UV and visible light wavelength.
Halogen Lamp
Also known as tungsten or quartz lamp, and the wavelength range of halogen lamp is in the visible light region, which is in the range of 320nm to 1100 nm. If the instrument is equipped with a halogen lamp only, it means the instrument can only measure visible light. General halogen lamp life is about 2000 hours, or more.
Xenon Lamp
Xenon lamp provides high energy light source, and it can reach a steady state in a short time period. Its light covers the entire UV and visible wavelength range, from 190nm to 1100nm. An xenon lamp flashes in a frequency of 80Hz, so that the life time is longer than deuterium lamp or halogen lamp. However, the cost of a xenon lamp is higher.
LED Lamp
Produce a single wavelength of light, thus, LED lamp does not require a monochromator. Its life is very long. LED light source has little variation in bandwidth, and it’s stable. LED lamp is a low-cost light source.