There are several ways to use a spectrometer. The following measurement configurations are commonly used:

A: Substance Detection & Concentration - Absorption and Fluorescence Spectroscopy

Absorption spectroscopy refers to spectroscopic techniques that measure the absorption of radiation, as a function of frequency or wavelength, due to its interaction with a sample. The sample absorbs energy, i.e., photons, from the radiating field. The intensity of the absorption varies as a function of frequency, and this variation is the absorption spectrum.
Absorption spectroscopy is employed as an analytical chemistry tool to determine the presence of a particular substance in a sample and, in many cases, to quantify the amount of the substance. Infrared and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy are particularly common in analytical applications.

There are a wide range of experimental approaches to measuring absorption spectra. The most common arrangement is to direct a generated beam of radiation at a sample and detect the intensity of the radiation that passes through it. The transmitted energy can be used to calculate the absorption. The source, sample arrangement and detection technique vary significantly depending on the frequency range and the purpose of the experiment.

Fluorescence spectroscopy is a type of electromagnetic spectroscopy which analyzes fluorescence from a sample. It involves using a beam of light that excites the electrons in molecules of certain compounds and causes them to emit light of a lower energy. At low concentrations the fluorescence intensity will generally be proportional to the concentration of the fluorophore.

Fluorescence spectrocopy is used in, among others, biochemical, medical, and chemical research fields for analyzing organic compounds. There has also been a report of its use in differentiating malignant, bashful skin tumors from benign.

B: Chemical Identification - Raman Spectroscopy

All substances vaporize molecules that can be detected with their own specific spectral signature while being exposed to an appropriate light. The spectral read out is like a fingerprint. It is unique to the specific substance and it is called the Raman spectrum. Read more about it in the fact box below.

Serstech has a Raman spectroscopy detector miniaturized to fit into very small spaces and designed to be made at very low cost in volumes. The planar design is intended to be used in manufacturing processes such as those used in semiconductor industry and injection molding.
Below you can see Serstech’s thumb nail sized spectrometer designed and built on a silicon chip

C: Color Measurements

In most consumer electronics products as well as in the manufacturing and processing industry, there is a need to measure color. These are often done with low-cost RGB detectors. More complex measurements require a spectrometer and Serstech's micro-spectrometer now offers an unprecedented ability to do such measurement with high quality yet low cost. High-volume, yet complex, solutions previously unthinkable due to price/performance limitations are now enabled.