Tektronix produced a number of plug-ins, transducers, and sensors to expand their oscilloscope market. This early concept drawing of a 500 series Optical Spectrum Analyzer was never produced.

 

In 1975 the 7J20/J20 was introduced and was only in the catalog one year. It sold for $12,000 in 1975, equivalent to over $50,000 dollars today.

 

The museum has a very rare 7J20 / J20 rapid scan spectrometer on display.

Rapid scan refers to the fact this spectrometer can capture the spectrum quickly enough to show real time changes in the optical spectrum.  At the museum we use a multi-color party bulb which cycles through several colors which are instantaneously displayed on the spectrometer as can be seen in the video below.  It is also sensitive enough to show the baseline of the ambient background room lighting.