ams Osram introduces new AS7343 multi-channel spectral sensor

     ams Osram, a global leader in optical solutions, announced the launch of the new AS7343 multi-channel spectral sensor, further expanding its spectral sensor portfolio. The sensor is the company's first to combine multi-channel color analysis with XYZ sensor technology to measure the color and light intensity seen by the human eye. Colorimeters, portable spectrometers, and consumer devices that integrate the AS7343 sensor will be more powerful in terms of color matching, lighting control, and spectral analysis, enabling "fast, accurate, and stable" perception and measurement.

     The new multipurpose sensor is ideal for color analysis applications that require precise and frequent measurements. For example, operators of greenhouses and indoor farms need to use color analysis to optimize the spectral characteristics of plant lighting to maximize yield and energy efficiency, as different crops grow differently on the visible light spectrum. “The AS7343 enables fast and accurate spectral measurements of the light incident on the crop, and based on the measurements, the lighting can be adjusted to match the lighting needs of each plant.” Senior Marketing Manager, Optical Sensors, ams Osram Kevin Jensen explained.

     This sensor is small in size, and it is easy to handle even in a limited size design. Suitable for a wide range of application scenarios. Compact size and accurate spectral analysis, the 14-channel AS7343 chip is packaged in a 3.1mm × 2mm × 1mm flat package. Like a spectrometer, the sensor is used to measure the spectral power distribution of the light source or reflected light. The sensor has 12 equally spaced measurement channels in the visible light spectrum, adjacent to a near-infrared (NIR) channel, and has XYZ capabilities. Unlike its predecessor, the AS7341, the AS7343 combines a multi-channel spectral sensor with XYZ technology. The XYZ channels are closely aligned to the CIE 1931 XYZ color space, which is the standard model for how the human eye perceives color. The AS7343 is capable of generating direct XYZ values, i.e. color coordinates, giving the user the flexibility to choose whether to perform a full spectrum analysis or a simple color scan.

     “With the AS7343, users can quickly scan color features of interest, or take full-resolution measurements on demand. This multi-channel sensor also corrects for the human eye’s inaccuracies in color when 'metamerism' occurs. match for more accurate color reproduction,” says Kevin Jensen.

     The AS7343 can generate unique spectral signatures for any light source and reflected light, and up to six channels can be used simultaneously for more flexible performance. The new product is four times more sensitive than its predecessor, the AS7341, enabling better color balance perception and signal analysis in the spectrum, while automatic ADC reconstruction provides faster multi-channel readouts.

     In applications such as horticultural lighting, a single AS7343 sensor is often sufficient, providing high-resolution measurements of spectral power distribution. If higher resolution is required, the filter response curves of two or more AS7343 sensors can be configured to partially overlap, reducing the bandwidth of each channel and increasing the measurement resolution. This technique can also be used with the AS7341. In addition, the AS7343 sensor can perform chromatographic analysis of liquids or materials, supporting horticultural applications such as the measurement of plant chlorophyll concentration.

     Another scenario of AS7343 is applied to smoke and heat alarms for the detection of smoke spectral characteristics. The spectral analysis of the AS7343 enables the smoke sensor to distinguish between different types of smoke from burning wood, plastic or water vapor.