What are the features?

The following image shows the main features of your spectrometer.

1. Your spectrometer is protected from excessive humidity by two desiccant canisters located in a compartment below the desiccant canisters cover.

For information about regenerating and replacing these canisters, refer to the “Replacing the desiccant” and “Regenerating the desiccant” topics in the User Guide.

2. You can change the source in your instrument without removing the cover. Two sources are available: one for the mid-IR range and another for the near-IR range (tungsten-halogen). The latter option is only available for the XT-KBr configuration Apex spectrometer.
3. The external beam port on the right side of the spectrometer allows the spectrometer to be connected to an FT-IR microscope or a Nicolet iZ10 module.
4. The humidity indicator shows the level of relative humidity inside the bench. The indicator is only provided for use when the bench is left unpowered and disconnected from a computer.

For an accurate measurement of internal humidity, consult the System Status table in OMNIC Paradigm software by clicking the instrument left in the upper right corner of the screen.

Normally, the indicator is blue (indicating that the humidity is lower than 60% RH). If the indicator is pink or white, humidity conditions are too high. At this point, you must replace the desiccant and consider storing the instrument in a lower humidity environment.

5. The integrated touch panel has buttons and indicators that allow you to perform many operations without needing to use the computer. You can use the blue Touch Point button to streamline your data analysis 4 and get answers quickly. See Measuring a spectrum for further information.

6. Your spectrometer is protected from environmental humidity and other chemical vapors by two windows. These windows isolate the optics in the spectrometer and are coated to improve their resistance to water vapor. You still, however, need to be careful when cleaning your spectrometer to avoid damaging the optics or the windows. For more information, see Cleaning your instrument in the Nicolet Apex User Guide.
7. You can use the sample compartment with many different accessories, such as:

The Smart OMNI-Transmission Accessory:

Use the the transmission accessory to measure data from samples held in any of the typical transmission cells or holders, including:

• Standard liquid cells
• Film holders
• KBr pellet holders
• ST-IR cards
• Gas cells

Other Smart Accessories:

A wide range of Smart Accessories can be used, including:

• Attenuated total reflectance (ATR)
• Diffuse reflectance (DRIFTS)
• Specular reflectance
• Temperature controlled accessories
• Near Infrared integrating sphere

The included tray provides storage below the accessory and protects the cover of the instrument.

Large baseplate-mounted accessories:

An optional sample compartment extension allows you to install specialized accessories, including:

• Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA) interface
• Multi-pass (long pathlength) gas cells
• Other accessories

8. The auxiliary signals port is used for accessories with detectors or power needs, such as the near-IR integrating sphere.