Apparatus and method providing a hand-held spectrometer

Abstract

According to one aspect, an IR spectrometer includes a light source adapted to illuminate a sample, a grating adapted to spectrally disperse a light that has illuminated the sample, a MEMS array adapted to be electrostatically actuated by a controller to control a diffraction of the light, a detector configured to detect the light, and a power source adapted to supply power to the light source and to the MEMS array, wherein the controller is adapted to control the MEMS array so as to manage a power consumption of the IR spectrometer. In one embodiment, the IR spectrometer includes a housing sized and arranged to house the light source, the grating, the MEMS array, the controller, the detector, and the power source in a hand-held device.

Description

[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60 / 763824, filed on Jan. 31, 2006, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUND OF INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of Invention [0003] Embodiments of the invention generally relate to spectroscopy. More specifically, at least one embodiment relates to a hand-held IR spectrometer. [0004] 2. Discussion of Related Art [0005] Many bench-top instruments exist that would find a much wider application if they could be reduced to a hand-held tool. The hand-held barcode scanner represents one hand-held tool that has been developed from a bench-top instrument. The barcode scanner was a large instrument used at grocery checkout stands when it was first developed. Subsequently, however, the barcode scanner has become a hand-held tool used for reading barcodes wherever they occur, for example, reading barcodes for the purpose of inventory tracking. The development of a hand-...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013] In view of the mentioned related art, a hand-held infrared (“IR”) spectrometer according to the invention includes optical components selected for low power consumption, and processor controlled electronics to maximize the life of a battery power source included in the spectrometer, and in particular, to provide a hand-held IR spectrometer that is lightweight and can operate continuously for an extended period to time. According to one embodiment, the hand-held IR spectrometer meets substantially the same performance levels as a bench-top IR spectrometer.

[0017] According to another aspect, an IR spectrometer includes a light source adapted to illuminate a sample with light, a grating adapted to spectrally disperse the light that has illuminated the sample to provide a dispersed light, a MEMS array adapted to be electrostatically actuated by a controller to control a diffraction of the dispersed light, a detector configured to detect the dispersed light, and a battery power source adapted to supply power to the light source and to the MEMS array, wherein the controller is adapted to control the MEMS array so as to manage a power consumption of the IR spectrometer.

Problems solved by technology

Although many of the applications for the IR spectrometer would benefit from the availability of a hand-held IR spectrometer, none exist at present.

Further, there have been few attempts to produce a hand-held IR spectrometer because of the size and power requirements of components employed in conventional IR spectrometers.

One example of a “portable” IR spectrometer is the Luminar 5030 by Brimrose [www.Brimrose.com]; however, this device still requires 90 watts of power and is not hand held because it weighs tens of pounds.

The optical requirements and / or the cooling systems of current IR spectrometer designs are generally incompatible with a lightweight, portable instrument.

The size, weight and power consumption that results from these components reduces the likelihood that they can be included in a hand-held instrument.

Similarly, conventional Fourier transform IR spectrometers also include moving parts and require heavy, rigid structures and a drive motor to operate accurately.

The required cooling system includes a heat sink and thermoelectric cooler that consume a relatively large amount of power.

Thus, the power consumption of a multi-channel IR analyzer is too great for it to be employed as a hand-held instrument because a large power source would be required for its operation.

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