Cleaning The Accessory; Collecting A Background Spectrum - Agilent Technologies 4500 Series Operation Manual

Analyzing Samples

Cleaning the accessory

To clean the ATR accessory:
1
2
Kimwipes or a suitable substitute (such as cotton swabs) should be used to
NOTE
clean the sensor and sampling area. Clean the sample interface and press with a
suitable solvent such as acetone, methanol, ethanol or isopropyl alcohol.
Do not break the spectrometer seal and attempt to clean interior surfaces.
CAUTION
Breaking the seal will void the warranty.

Collecting a background spectrum

To ensure accuracy of the measurement, it is recommended that the
system is configured in the software to collect a background
spectrum before every sample is analyzed. This provides a baseline
profile of the system conditions with no sample loaded on the
instrument. By collecting a background automatically before each
sample measurement, negative effects of changes in the environment
can be avoided.
For detailed software instructions for collecting a background, refer
to the MicroLab Software Operation Manual.
To ensure an accurate background spectrum is collected, perform a visual
CAUTION
inspection of the diamond ATR sample mounting surface, looking for any haze or
film present on the diamond from measuring the previous sample. If a film is
observed, repeat the cleaning procedure above until the diamond surface is clear
of any residue.
32
Open the ATR sample press arm by lifting back until the sample
press tip reaches the top of its travel.
Clean the sample press tip first, then clean the sample mounting
window, indicated in Figure 7.
Agilent 4500 Series FTIR Operation Manual