Affa RS TEC-Cooled CCD Raman Spectrometer

Designed and assembled in Europe
Engineered by physicists
Dedicated technical support available

The Affa RS is a research-grade TEC-cooled Raman spectrometer engineered for high-sensitivity, low-noise, and reproducible Raman measurements in advanced laboratory environments.

The new generation Affa RS is based on Thunder Optics’ upgraded ORT1 platform, replacing the previous TEC-cooled CMOS detector architecture with a cooled Hamamatsu S11850 CCD detector for improved low-light sensitivity, long-integration stability, and Raman signal reproducibility.

By combining active detector cooling, stabilized excitation, and precision optical alignment, the system enables reliable acquisition of weak Raman signals while maintaining long-term spectral stability.

That is the best place because the reader immediately understands that this is the new upgraded Affa RS, before entering the detailed detector section.

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The Affa RS integrates a cooled Hamamatsu S11850 CCD detector with active Thermo-Electric Cooling, reducing dark current and thermal noise during demanding Raman measurements.

Advanced Detector and Active Cooling

The Affa RS is built on Thunder Optics’ upgraded ORT1 spectrometer platform and integrates a cooled Hamamatsu S11850 CCD detector. Compared with the previous CMOS-based generation, the upgraded cooled CCD architecture improves low-light sensitivity, long-integration stability, and Raman signal reproducibility.

The detector is actively temperature-stabilized by a Thermo-Electric Cooling system, reducing dark current and thermal noise during demanding Raman measurements.

This ensures:

• Stable long integration times
• Improved detection of weak Raman signals
• High signal-to-noise performance
• Reproducible measurements over extended acquisition sessions
• Better stability for laboratory Raman analysis

Interchangeable Slit System

The Affa RS now includes an interchangeable slit architecture, allowing users to adapt the spectrometer to different Raman measurement priorities.

Each Affa RS system is supplied as standard with a 50 µm slit, providing a balanced compromise between signal throughput and spectral resolution. With the standard 50 µm slit, the typical Raman spectral resolution is approximately 11 cm⁻¹.

Optional slit widths are available for users who need to optimize the system for specific applications:

• 25 µm slit — recommended when higher spectral resolution is required. Typical Raman resolution: approximately 6 cm⁻¹.
• 100 µm slit — recommended when higher signal throughput is more important than maximum resolution.
• 200 µm slit — available for very low-light applications where maximum optical throughput is required.

This modular slit system allows the Affa RS to be configured for high-resolution Raman analysis, standard laboratory measurements, or weak-signal applications.

High-Precision Optical Architecture

The optical path of the Affa RS is optimized to minimize stray light and maintain spectral accuracy.

Carefully aligned components and a stabilized excitation path provide:

• High spectral resolution
• Reduced background interference
• Stable peak positioning
• Consistent measurement reproducibility

This architecture supports demanding research applications in materials science, chemistry, nanotechnology, and advanced laboratory environments.

Configurable Excitation Options

The Affa RS is available with 532 nm or 785 nm laser excitation, allowing the system to be adapted to different sample types and Raman applications.

532 nm excitation is recommended when high Raman scattering efficiency is required. It is suitable for many minerals, inorganic materials, semiconductors, carbon materials, and strong Raman scatterers.

785 nm excitation is recommended when fluorescence reduction is important. It is particularly useful for many organic, biological, colored, or fluorescence-prone samples.

This flexibility allows the Affa RS to be configured for a wide range of research, analytical, educational, and industrial Raman measurements.

Laser Excitation and Power Control

For the 532 nm configuration, the Affa RS uses a compact CW solid-state laser source with narrow linewidth and fiber-coupled SMA905 output.

• Wavelength: 532 nm
• Spectral linewidth: <0.1 nm
• Output power: up to 200 mW at the SMA fiber output
• Power control: variable from 0 to 200 mW
• Fiber coupling: 200 µm optical fiber, 1 m length, SMA905 connectors
• Power stability: up to 4% over 4 hours

This adjustable laser architecture allows users to optimize the excitation power according to the sample sensitivity, Raman signal intensity, and risk of local heating.

Representative Raman Spectra

The spectra below were acquired using the Affa RS TEC cooled Raman spectrometer under laboratory conditions, demonstrating stable peak positioning, high signal-to-noise ratio, and reliable molecular identification performance.

Raman spectrum of paracetamol acquired with 785 nm excitation and 1000 ms integration time using the Affa RS.

Raman spectrum of Dentine acquired with 785 nm excitation and 4000 ms integration time using the Affa RS.

Raman spectrum of Polypropylene acquired with 785 nm excitation and 1000 ms integration time using the Affa RS.

Performance Highlights

• New generation upgraded ORT1 cooled CCD Raman platform
• Hamamatsu S11850 cooled CCD detector
• Interchangeable slit system
• Standard 50 µm slit included
• Typical resolution: ~11 cm⁻¹ with 50 µm slit
• Optional 25 µm slit for higher resolution: ~6 cm⁻¹
• Optional 100 µm and 200 µm slits for higher signal throughput
• 532 nm or 785 nm laser excitation
• Signal-to-noise ratio >1000:1
• Spectral accuracy ±1–3 cm⁻¹
• Laser power stability <2% over 4 hours
• Designed for stable long-integration Raman measurements

System Integration

The Affa RS integrates seamlessly with our Raman probes, fiber-coupled spectroscopy accessories, laboratory sample holders, and optical calibration standards.

It is fully compatible with other Thunder Optics spectrometers and spectroscopy accessories, enabling flexible laboratory configurations.

Fully compatible with Thunder Optics spectroscopy solutions.

Research Applications

Materials Science

Carbon materials, semiconductors, nanomaterials, thin films

Chemistry

Molecular identification, phase analysis, structural characterization

Pharmaceutical Research

Compound verification, polymorphism studies

Academic Research

Advanced spectroscopy training and laboratory education

 

The Affa RS delivers performance characteristics typically associated with significantly higher-cost research Raman platforms while maintaining a streamlined, laboratory-friendly architecture.