Purchase and delivery of one (1) of a Spectrograph for dispersing short-wave infrared wavelengths

The objective is to acquire a spectrograph that meets specific technical and performance requirements to enable efficient, high-resolution, dispersion of low-brightness sources. The Ultrafast Quantum Photonics Group performs research experiments with single-photon sources and other low-brightness optical sources in the SWIR spectral region. Measuring the spectra of such sources is difficult with multi-pixel detectors such as InGaAs cameras, due to read noise and dark counts. Instead, NRC requires a grating spectrograph to combine with its low-noise, single-pixel, superconducting nanowire detectors and photodiodes. The grating spectrograph will allow precise scanning measurements of SWIR spectra by interfacing with user-supplied detectors. The successful delivery of this spectrograph will enhance the laboratory’s capacity for quantum photonics research.