FirstGuard™ is part of a new breed of handheld instrumentation, designed to be taken into the warehouse - or out the field - for real-time, fast sample identification. Equipped with an integrated vial holder, switchable lithium ion battery, and optional barcode/RFID reader, the FirstGuard is ideal for GMP facilities and can be configured with secure software for 21 CRF Part 11 compliance.

Choice of laser wavelengths for superior performance

Each FirstGuard is equipped with either a 532, 785, or 1064 nm laser stabilized for Raman spectroscopy. Output power: up to 500mW. Linewidth: 0.2 nm FWHM typical. At the heart of every instrument is a transmissive Volume Phase Grating (VPG) that delivers unsurpassed optical throughput. The spectrograph is customized to cover the 400 – 1850 cm-1 range which is the most chemically informative spectral region, thus leaving no pixels wasted. The detector array delivers high sensitivity at an optimal cost.

Long battery life for extended field deployment

Unlike most sample analysis techniques, there is no sample preparation needed for FirstGuard. It can penetrate plastic bags or clear/amber-colored glass bottles while not altering or destroying the sample, thus maintaining sample integrity. The FirstGuard is designed from the ground up for field use, with an active trigger built into an easy to grip handle. Extended battery life allows continuous, uninterrupted work in the field.

On the go - point and shoot analysis

Operated very much like a point-and-shoot camera, the FirstGuard delivers accurate identification results in a matter of seconds. Since the identification is based on the chemical fingerprint on the molecular level, there is no chance for mix-up or human error.