Echelle Spectrometer Arrangement for Simultaneous Wide-Range Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Echelle spectrometers face challenges in simultaneously detecting wide-range spectra at high spectral resolution and light conductivity, often requiring large detectors or sequential wavelength adjustment, which increases mechanical complexity and reduces efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A spectrometer arrangement with an echelle grating and a dispersion element, utilizing a first optical element to direct a second wavelength range to a detector unit, allowing simultaneous detection of both wavelength ranges without significant light conductivity loss or mechanical complexity, using optical elements like lenses, prisms, or mirrors to image both parts of the radiation into the same detector plane.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a large detector surface is used to detect larger spectral regions at high resolution, then the spectral range is improved, but the cost and imaging quality are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The detector surface is segmented into multiple detector units with different spectral sensitivities. Each detector unit detects a specific wavelength range, and the combined data provides comprehensive spectral coverage without requiring a single large detector surface, thus reducing cost while maintaining imaging quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a spectral dimension by using detector units with different spectral sensitivities (e.g., visible, NIR, SWIR ranges). This allows the system to detect multiple wavelength ranges simultaneously by combining data from different detector units, effectively expanding the spectral range without increasing the physical detector surface area.
2Measurement precision
If detectors with smaller pixels are used to increase the number of channels, then the spectral resolution is improved, but the light conductivity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
Different detector units are assigned to different spectral ranges based on their optimal detection characteristics. Each detector unit operates in its optimal wavelength range with appropriate pixel size, allowing high spectral resolution where needed while maintaining high light conductivity in other regions. This local optimization resolves the trade-off between resolution and light conductivity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the simultaneous detection of wide-range spectra with improved light conductivity and reduced mechanical complexity, expanding the spectral range without additional optical or mechanical complexity, and maintaining high imaging quality.
Implementation Method 1
Illumination of the short facets of the step-like structure at a predeterminable blaze angle generates a diffraction pattern, which concentrates the diffracted intensity in high diffraction orders
Implementation Method 2
the radiation is again dispersed transversely to the dispersion direction of the echelle grating, in order to separate from each other the various orders that occur
Implementation Method 3
A spectrometer arrangement with an echelle grating and a dispersion element, utilizing a first optical element to direct a second wavelength range to a detector unit
Implementation Method 4
using optical elements like lenses, prisms, or mirrors to image both parts of the radiation into the same detector plane
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a spectrometer arrangement for analyzing optical radiation from a light source comprising an echelle grating for dispersion of the radiation entering the spectrometer arrangement in a main dispersion direction, a dispersion element for dispersing the radiation in a cross-dispersion direction, the main dispersion direction and the cross-dispersion direction having a predeterminable angle to each other, and a detector unit for acquiring a first spectrum of a first part of the radiation comprising a first predeterminable wavelength range. According to the present disclosure, the spectrometer arrangement comprises a first optical element, which is arranged or configured in such a way that a second spectrum of a second part of the radiation comprising a second predeterminable wavelength range differing from the first can be acquired by means of the detector unit.