Near infrared spectroscopy

Abstract

The discovery of near-infrared energy is ascribed to Herschel in the nineteenth century; the first industrial application however began in the 1950s. Initially near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) was used only as an add-on unit to other optical devices, that used other wavelengths such as ultraviolet (UV), visible (Vis), or mid-infrared (MIR) spectrometers. In the 1980s, a single unit, stand-alone NIRS system was made available, but the application of NIRS was focused more on chemical analysis. With the introduction of light-fibre optics in the mid 1980s and the monochromator-detector developments in early 1990s, NIRS became a more powerful tool for scientific research. This optical method can be used in a number of fields of science including physics, physiology, medicine and food. © 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.