Release of Mid-Range UV-VIS Spectrophotometers

On September 1, Shimadzu Corporation will release updated mid-range UV-VIS spectrophotometers, core models in their UV-VIS spectrophotometer line. These new products (models: UV-2600/2700) not only offer the smallest footprint in their class, but also feature low stray light* levels that enable measuring highly concentrated samples and the ability to extend measurements into the near-infrared region.

* Stray light: Light with wavelengths other than the target wavelength in the monochromator

The release includes two models, the UV-2600, which includes one monochromator, and the UV-2700, which features two monochromators connected in series.

UV-VIS spectrophotometers shine UV or visible light onto liquid or solid samples, and then measure the level of absorption to determine the content level of constituent substances. They are used for research and quality control in a wide range of fields, such as pharmaceuticals, food products, chemicals, environment, and life sciences. The market size for mid-range UV-VIS spectrophotometers, which are considered the core of the UV-VIS spectrophotometer market, is estimated to be about 6,000 units/year globally, with demand growing in industrializing economies, such as China, India, and Southeast Asia.
In recent years, there has been an increasing need for UV-VIS and near-infrared spectrophotometers in the electrical and optical materials fields to evaluate optical materials in the UV-VIS region, anti-reflective films for solar cells in the near-infrared region, and so on. In addition to manufacturers of electrical and optical goods, demand is also increasing from manufacturers that supply materials to these fields, and from universities and research institutions conducting research applications.
These new mid-range UV-VIS spectrophotometers, which feature extendibility into the near-infrared region, were developed and will be released to target such market trends.

The new models feature a newly designed optical system that allowed making the system smaller. Compared to previous Shimadzu models, the new systems feature a 28 % smaller footprint, which makes them the most compact UV-VIS spectrophotometers in their class. By using Shimadzu’s proprietary Lo-Ray-Ligh low stray light diffraction gratings and an improved electrical system design, these models offer the lowest stray light levels of any other mid-range UV-VIS spectrophotometers currently available. Furthermore, the UV-2700 is able to measure absorbance levels as high as 8 Abs*, which means it can measure highly concentrated samples with light transmittance levels of only 0.000001 % or film samples with especially low transmission characteristics.

*Absorbance: Ratio of incident light intensity to transmitted light intensity, converted to a value that expresses the level of light absorption. This value is proportional to sample concentration.

In addition, by attaching an optional integrating sphere, the wavelength measurement range of the UV-2600 can be extended from 220 nm to 1,400 nm, which includes the near-infrared region.

With these features, the UV-2600/2700 can not only accommodate the wide range of applications covered by the previous UV-VIS spectrophotometers, but also meet the needs of other high-growth fields, such as photovoltaics and compound semiconductors. Consequently, Shimadzu anticipates expanded sales resulting from an increase in market competitiveness.

A summary of new product features are listed as follows.

By redesigning the optical system and eliminating the transformer from the electrical system, the instrument footprint is about 28 % smaller than previous models without reducing the sample compartment size, making it the smallest instrument available in its class (Instrument size: 450 W × 600 D × 230 H mm). In spite of its compact size, the sample compartment remains the same size as before, so it can still easily handle the measurement of large samples. The systems also consume less power – about 10 % or 20 VA lower electrical power consumption than before.

With a redesigned optical system that includes a diffraction grating (Lo-Ray-Ligh) with ultra-low stray light (the UV-2700 includes two), made by Shimadzu's Device Department, and by making improvements to our electrical system, the UV-2700 offers ultra-low stray light levels (0.00002 %) that are lower than any UV-VIS spectrophotometer in its class, either in Japan or overseas (for the UV-2600, 0.005 %).

The low stray light level enables measuring high absorption levels in samples with light transmittance as low as 0.000001 % or 8 Abs. (Previously, the limit was an absorbance level of about 6, which is equivalent to transmittance of 0.0001 %.) Therefore, highly concentrated samples can be measured without dilution, which improves the efficiency of analytical work. It also makes the UV-2700 ideal for evaluating the transmission characteristics of polarizing film used in LCD panels. Note that measuring up to 8 Abs is only possible in the 400 to 650 mm wavelength range.

Installing an integrating sphere, which includes two newly developed detectors (PMT and InGaAs), in the UV-2600 extends the wavelength measurement range into the near-infrared region: 220 to 1400 nm. Typically, spectral measurements from 900 nm to near 1300 nm are required for measuring materials such as anti-reflective films for solar cells or polycrystalline silicon wafers. Therefore, these new products will be especially useful in these fields.

Systems are equipped standard with newly developed instrument validation software that offers significantly improved functionality for verifying instrument performance and recording results. This helps perform routine tasks more easily, such as daily and periodic instrument inspections, and ensures instrument performance inspections specified in Japanese and European pharmacopoeia* can be performed easily.

*Pharmacopoeia: Official standards that specify quality levels for pharmaceuticals and methods for testing those qualities. Pharmacopoeias are issued by several tens of countries world-wide.

Shimadzu has been engaged in manufacturing and selling UV-VIS spectrophotometers for more than half a century, first developing and marketing a photoelectric spectrophotometer in Japan in 1952. Currently, Shimadzu sells about 6,000 systems per year worldwide, ranging from value-oriented models to high-end models. In Japan, Shimadzu is the leading manufacturer of spectrophotometers, selling 160 mid-range units per year, which accounts for 28 % of the market. Overseas, Shimadzu sells about 800 units per year, for a 17 % market share.
As Shimadzu continues implementing measures to deploy our business globally, we are aiming to capture the highest global market share for UV-VIS spectrophotometers. Shimadzu aims to globally sell about 550 units per year of these new products (in the initial year) to firmly establish the top market share in Japan for mid-range models by 2013 and also aims to surpass the top global market share of 19 %.