Development and experimental validation of a low-cost CMOS based spectrometer for optical and fluorescence applications

This work presents the design, construction, and experimental validation of a low-cost CMOS-based spectrometer built using a 3D-printed structure, a general-purpose webcam, and a low-cost diffraction grating. The system was calibrated using LED light sources and validated against a commercial Ocean HR4000CG-UV-NIR spectrometer. Results show that the CMOS-based spectrometer achieves wavelength detection accuracy within ±7 nm and is capable of resolving emission spectra with ~1 nm resolution spacing in the visible range (440–620 nm). The device was also applied to measure fluorescence in vitamin-enriched beverages and to analyze the absorbance properties of colored filters, demonstrating its utility in both chemical and optoelectronic applications. These findings confirm the feasibility of implementing low-cost spectroscopic tools for educational and scientific use.