Abstract:
A light beam (6) is applied to a waveguide (3) in order to measure properties of the beam (6), e.g. the wavelength. According to the invention, the waveguide (3) has locally and/or time-varying resonances, e.g. by suitably designed grid couplers (4, 5). A light signal (7) is thus generated in the waveguide (3) as a direct measurement of the property to be measured and can be further processed by suitable means or evaluated. It is thus possible, for example, advantageously to produce a simple and inexpensive spectrometer.
Abstract:
An acousto-optic tunable filter and filtering method are disclosed providing for a significantly increased number of available wavelength channels for output. The filter combines a diffraction grating, the grating vector of which is transverse to light propagation direction, with an acousto-optic beam deflector, which, by accommodating a narrow spectral bandwidth (about 5% that of conventional acousto-optic tunable filters), provides significantly increased output bandwidth and available wavelength channels (by a factor of approximately 20).
Abstract:
The present invention selectively corrects astigmatism and is simple and inexpensive to implement. A spherical mirror is bent to simultaneously increase radius of curvature in one plane and decrease radius of curvature in the plane at right angles thereto. In one implementation the mirror disposed in a mounting that includes a plurality of abutment surfaces against which a front surface of the spherical mirror abuts to effect bending of the mirror when it is appropriately disposed in the mounting. The plurality of abutment surfaces includes at least two bending surfaces and at least two support surfaces. The bending surfaces are higher than the support surfaces, relative to a surface of the mounting from which they extend. When the mirror is appropriately disposed in the mounting, the bending surfaces push the mirror at particular bending locations at opposite sides of the mirror in the plane of incidence, while the mirror is supported by the support surfaces at two particular support locations at right angles to the plane of incidence. Mounting the mirror in contact with each of the bending surfaces and support surfaces has the effect of flattening or subtracting a cylindrical component from the curvature of the mirror in a first plane (i.e. in the plane of incidence), while steepening or adding a cylindrical component to the curvature in a second plane (i.e. at right angles to the plane of incidence).
Abstract:
A spectrophotometer which is highly manufacturable at minimum cost nevertheless provides precision of measurement of spectra components of light which is projected therein by maintaining precise optical alignment of optical and electrical components thereof. These components are mounted in a module which is contained in a housing having an entrance aperture which defines an object area for light the spectrum of which is measured by a photodetector in the module at an image area. The module has a base plate provided by a printed circuit board on which a closed wall encompasses an area (a corral) on one side of the circuit board. The wall is a one piece structure which extends to the vicinity of the edge of the board. It is assembled with the board as a unitary structure so that the assembly is made torsionally rigid and resists bending in the plane of the board. The module may be of sufficiently small size so as to be located in a housing which is hand held, thereby providing a hand-held spectrophotometer.
Abstract:
A spectral imager or spectrophotometer-type optoelectronic camera including an optical system, a CCD-type set of photosensitive elements (3) at the focus of the optical system, a transparent protective window (5) arranged in front of the sensitive face (4) of the set of photosensitive elements (3), and a spectral disperser (1) allowing spectral analysis of the scene observed by the camera. The sensitive face (4) of the set of photosensitive elements (3) that points toward the protective window is coated with a monolayer or multilayer coating of anti-reflection material (9) whose thickness (e) varies continuously as a function of the wavelength of the light received by the sensitive face, parallel to the dispersion axis of the disperser (A).
Abstract:
A solid-state detector for use in an atomic spectrometer comprises a plurality of arrays of sensing elements, or pixels, each of the arrays being positioned along and on the locations of spectral signals on a focal plane of an echelle grating spectrometer. The sensing elements are positioned along the many diffraction orders presented on a two-dimensional echelle grating focal plane so that at least one element is located at each and every resolution element regardless of global x-y coordinate positioning of the elements or with reference to each other. The result is a series of skewed lines of sensing elements, those lines being in the same shape as the series of diffraction order lines which comprise an echelle spectrum. The solid-state detector is particularly useful in an atomic spectrometer wherein an echelle grating is used to diffract incident radiation such that the various components of the radiation may be observed.
Abstract:
Gases can be selectively detected by the utilization of a infrared spectrometer via their specific absorption in the infrared spectral range. The sensor of the present invention is developed for continuously controlling a gaseous stream or a space filled with gas with the sensor being a single-piece shaped part manufactured as a microstructured body. The space filled with gas to be tested is between a mirror grating and entrance and exit slits for IR-radiation. The sensor is compact and robust, suitable for portable instruments, and can be manufactured at low cost and in large numbers. The sensor can also be made of metal and can be used even at an increased temperature. By using the sensor of the present invention, the safety of systems in which flammable, toxic or other gases are contained or may occur can be considerably increased in an economic manner.
Abstract:
This integrated device for instantaneously carrying out qualitative and quantitative identification of one or more physicochemical entities contained in or on a sample and capable of producing one or more emission or absorption or reflection spectra under excitation by an electromagnetic wave comprises, within a shielded casing (1):a polychromator (5) to which the emission, absorption or reflection spectrum or spectra of the analyzed sample is or are conveyed,an element (6) for detecting said signals, which is positioned on the optical path of the signals output by the polychromator (5),a conversion circuit (6), coupled with said polychromator (5),a central processing unit (7) incorporating, in an associated memory, a plurality of standard spectra representative of known and predetermined entities and intended to analyze the digital spectrum or spectra thus obtained and to compare, after decorrelation, this spectrum or these spectra with the spectra stored in said memory, and to deduce from this comparison the nature and the concentration of the predetermined physicochemical entity or entities in or on the sample.
Abstract:
A monochromator for examining very narrow band ranges of a light spectrum has a fixed inlet slot, a grid illuminated by said slot and rotatively driven by a grid drive, a fixed outlet slot arranged in the angular area of the generated spectrum and at least one cutoff filter arranged in the path of the rays, continuously and swivelingly driven by the grid drive transversely to the path of the rays for filtering out light of orders other than the observed order. The cutoff filter is coupled to the grid drive in such a way that it is synchronically swiveled over the same angle as the grid, covering the desired spectral range.
Abstract:
The monochromator has, as a beam-diffracting element, a scanning mirror (3) which is fastened on a vibratory spring, preferably a spring-steel strap (8), clamped on one side. The vibratory spring is oscillated by way of an electromechanical self-energized oscillation circuit, a sensor (11a, 11b) which detects the deflection of the vibratory spring (8) is provided and whose output signal is used as a feedback signal for maintaining the oscillation of the vibratory spring (8). The amplitude of oscillation of the oscillating element can likewise be varied. With such a design it is possible to produce simply and inexpensively a monochromator with which a considerable spectral range can be swept and, in addition, the width and position of said spectral range can be variably adjusted.