Portable spectrometers are only useful if they provide reliable in-field results. Variable temperature, atmospheric pressure, humidity, dust, vibration, and contaminants threaten their performance. Ruggedized devices resist environmental challenges, but gain weight, power consumption, and cost. The ideal portable instrument weighs little, uses little power, and is calibrated under use conditions, not laboratory conditions. One way to accomplish this is with single use diffraction gratings. Since cuvettes are typically also single use to prevent cross-contamination, why not put them together? We describe diffraction grating/cuvette combinations and explain their fabrication, dispersion properties, and related instrument designs, with expected assets and limitations.
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