Miniature Spectrometer Integrated into Smartphone Camera for On-the-Go Material Analysis

Researchers at North Carolina State University have made a significant breakthrough by developing an ultra-compact spectrometer small enough to be integrated into smartphone camera sensors. Led by Professor Brendan O’Connor, the team designed a device capable of analyzing light interactions to determine the chemical composition of various materials such as food, water, and skin. Traditional spectrometers, essential in fields ranging from environmental monitoring to medical diagnostics, are typically bulky and unsuitable for portable devices. The new miniature spectrometer, measuring just a few square millimeters, operates on less than one volt of power and can collect data in less than a millisecond. This innovative device employs a specially engineered organic photodetector, made from flexible, lightweight carbon-based materials that can be tuned with small electrical voltages to detect specific wavelengths of light. By adjusting the detector's sensitivity and analyzing its responses, the system captures a unique light signature of the target substance, revealing its chemical makeup. The design eliminates the need for bulky optical components like lenses and mirrors, relying in...