Potentially. CIC Photonics states that its IRGAS gas analyzer systems are compatible with FTIR spectrometers across the market and offers gas cells with mounting and coupling options for different installations. Whether an existing FTIR can be integrated depends on its spectral range, sensitivity, optical interface, data access, sampling requirements, and compatibility with the analytical method and software.
How the Integration Works
A possible integration connects a suitable gas cell and sampling system to an existing FTIR spectrometer sample compartment or an external optical path. CIC Photonics states that analytical methods developed on an MB spectrometer transfer to other MB-series spectrometers and that its solutions are compatible with FTIR spectrometers across the market. The exact hardware, software, and installation changes must be established after reviewing the existing spectrometer and measurement requirements.
Custom Sampling Hardware Options
Because every process gas stream is different, CIC Photonics gas cells come in several configurations built for custom sampling hardware needs:
- Adjustable height mounting on the Scout and CRV cells for fitment into different spectrometer sample compartments or table-mount setups.
- Fiber optic coupling options on the Scout and Cherokee cells for installations where the sample point sits away from the spectrometer itself.
- VCR gas ports for sampling inlets and outlets on long path and direct path cells, supporting custom extractive sampling line design.
- Heating packages tuned by a PID loop to match the thermal properties of each gas cell, available in 120V and 240V options.
- Cryogenic embedded cooling coil options on the CRV cell for operation down to minus 40°C, and pressure ratings up to 135 bar for high-pressure sampling lines.
Materials Built for Demanding Sampling Environments
CIC Photonics gas cells are available in 316L stainless steel, with nickel coating or electropolishing options, and can also be constructed from Hastelloy C22 or C276 for more demanding sample chemistries. Long path cells reach 90 percent gas exchange in two volume changes rather than the standard three, thanks to a laminar- flow plenum design, and cells are leak- tested to below 1×10⁻⁸ cc per second of helium, with many units testing under 3×10⁻⁹ cc per second, before they ship.
CIC Photonics has refined this gas cell engineering for over 25 years, and the optical design is carried through in every integration project. Protected gold-coated mirrors, fabricated from stainless steel or optional nickel, deliver over 98.5 percent reflectivity in the mid-infrared region, which keeps optical throughput high even after a spectrometer swap or a custom sampling hardware change. CIC Photonics also reports verification of spectral-shift accuracy after gas-cell alignment. This is one of the checks used to evaluate the cell’s optical performance before integration.
When a Full Turnkey System Makes More Sense
Integration is not always the right path. If your existing spectrometer cannot meet the sensitivity or spectral range your application needs, such as the 50,000:1 signal-to-noise ratio and 485 to 8,500 cm⁻¹ range of the MB3000, a complete turnkey IRGAS system may be the more practical option. CIC Photonics can evaluate your current setup and recommend whether integration or a full system is the better fit.
Discuss Your Integration Project
To talk through your integration project, contact CIC Photonics directly, send an email to request@cicp.com, or call the team at (505) 343-9500. You can also visit the CIC Photonics facility at 6310 Edith Blvd Ste. A NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87107, or leave a review on Google to share your experience.