Researchers at Harvard's Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics have used a Spectrum Instrumentation digitizing card to create a next-generation molecular spectrometer with high resolution and high sensitivity that is able to capture sample data with considerable speed.
Brandon Carroll, a postdoctoral fellow on the project, explains: “The new design for cooling the sample chamber allows us to have a much higher sampling rate than the usual design, and to do so across a wide bandwidth. So, we needed a way to quickly capture a large amount of data across a wide bandwidth.” Some colleagues at the University of California, Davis, recommended a digitizing card from Spectrum Instrumentation. We chose an M4i.2230-x8 card because it has a large amount of onboard memory, a bandwidth of up to 1.5 GHz, and the ability to average extremely quickly. We looked at cards from other companies, but they were either more expensive or didn’t meet our specifications as well as the Spectrum card. Also, it was really easy to integrate with our software to fully automate the data acquisition process, unlike the others we considered.”
A groundbreaking step forward: The new microwave spectrometer developed at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
Microwave spectroscopy is used to detect the shape and structure of molecules, providing unique insights into the changes that occur during chemical reactions. "Until we built this spectrometer, very complex instruments were needed to use microwave spectroscopy to investigate chemical reactions," Brandon added. "Now we can investigate the detailed dynamics of the reaction in the intermediate steps to see how it actually happens. The processes that govern chemistry and physics change relative to those at higher temperatures when you're near absolute zero—the temperature in many parts of space—hence this research at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory." 
This new spectrometer will allow scientists to learn about the chemistry of the interstellar medium—the material in the space between planets and stars. This material is the raw material of new solar systems and has a profound effect on planet formation and even the origins of life.
The new spectrometer will represent a major step forward in the investigation of interstellar materials between stars.
He concluded: "The insights we gain from this new design will allow us to understand interstellar chemistry much better, and we are discovering that analyzing complex mixtures at ultracold temperatures is an exciting new direction for us."
