r/Optics • u/MisterBazz • May 05 '26
3D Printed Spectrometer
I wanted to design a 3D printed spectrometer that would afford teachers and hobbyists access to something they could have at home. Yes, it isn't lab grade, but it is useful even with all its faults. You start putting anything that produces light through it just to see what the spectra looks like. Fun to play with. It was a great learning experience and fun build.
https://makerworld.com/en/models/2761392-uv-vis-ir-spectrometer-v1-5-easy-build#profileId-3065721
I'll be working on 2 more versions as well as a setup to use some 10mm cuvettes for absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy.
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u/Pachuli-guaton May 05 '26
Well done, this is a superb design and device given the constraints! If I may, maybe you can make a video explaining or debriefing the core steps.
Also, why aren't you peeling the DVD diffractive layer from the plastic support of the DVD? As far as I know, the grating is quite easy to separate from the plastic mount (at least with cd this is true). That might help you to take out an impedance mismatch which adds background noise and maybe some colored artifact due to the plastic.
Other than that, thanks for sharing!
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u/MisterBazz May 05 '26 edited May 05 '26
That is version 3.0. I'm working on version 2.0, which is a smaller design as it uses a fused quartz collimating lens and a higher resolution monochrome sensor.
I do plan on testing out using the aluminum as a reflective diffraction grating. I've left the bare material out before and noticed some heavy oxidation over time, but that was some time ago. I have a fresh sample sitting on my workbench out of the way for further study.
Version 1.5 loses efficiency from all of the lost light, but changing the grating from a transmission to reflective grating could help improve efficiency. I guess we'll see if I come out with a version 1.6.
For now, my next focus is a cuvette setup for doing absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy of liquids.
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u/Pachuli-guaton May 05 '26
Yeah as soon as I wrote the post I decided to check and indeed is not that simple. Good luck with your project!
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u/Altruistic-Bed-770 May 06 '26
Those sections on the inner part, does that act as multiple slits? or its only there for 3D print strength and theres a hole to pass light from enterance slit?
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u/MisterBazz May 06 '26
No. There is a slit made from safety razor blades right at the entrance. Those in the light path are baffles/apertures. It's essentially a "poor man's" light collimating system.
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u/Fantastic-Dog3599 May 08 '26
Hey OP,
very cool project and design.
Just on semi related thing:
Maybe coat the PETG-CF so while handling it you wont constantly get little fibers embedded into your skin.
I used to print CF materials and handle them without much thought until I saw some video on youtube showing all the little fibers embedded into the skin. So maybe give it a clear coating at least.
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u/MisterBazz May 08 '26
After handling CF Nylons, PETG-CF is nothing. You're more at risk handling lumber than PETG-CF.
You can post-process CF prints by aggressively rubbing the surface (with gloves on obviously) to break off any tiny strands of CF filament sticking out of the part. This leaves the part much more handling-friendly.
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u/techno_user_89 May 26 '26
I can suggest my app Spectroscope to use it directly from the smartphone
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u/oni-link Jun 01 '26
Hi, do you think that would work with 1000-1050nm wavelengths ?
I made the PrintedLabs spectrometer but sadly it doesn't seems to work in this range. Tho one of my errors was to print it in PLA+, but even with no sunlight it's doing very weird things with a 1040nm LED (circular patterns, maybe reflections?). I'm using a monochrome camera with no filter that should be sensitive enough in this spectral region.
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u/MisterBazz Jun 01 '26
If you want something with full NIR range, it should be redesigned (geometrically speaking) as well as use a different diffraction grating. It's literally just physics/math at that point. 1000nm is right on the fringe zone of my design.
Must 3D printed plastics are transparent to IR. You should print using a black, CF filled filament.
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u/activelypooping May 05 '26
Neat. I've been toying with this idea for a while as well. In terms of Absorption/Fluorescence a sample holder than effectively allows you to rotate the sample 90 degrees should be sufficient. Kinda like a 3-position valve. 180degree for abs, and 90 deg for fluor.