Segmented Collimating Device for Portable Spectrometers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable and handheld spectrometers face challenges with radiation scattering, leading to increased background noise, inconsistent results, and inaccurate readings due to the lack of effective collimation, which is not feasible with the typical three-slit collimator design.
Innovation Solution
A collimating device with a housing and interior ridges forming slits or a spiraling ridge is positioned between the radiation source and the sample to reduce radiation scattering, maintaining a short distance between the source and sample while collimating the radiation effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a three-slit collimator is used to collimate radiation, then radiation scattering is reduced, but the device size increases and distance between source and sample increases
Solution Approach 1:
The collimator is divided into multiple individual plates, each containing slits, arranged in sequence between the radiation source and sample. This segmentation allows the collimation function to be distributed across multiple smaller components rather than requiring a single large collimator, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining effective radiation collimation.
2Measurement precision
If distance between radiation source and sample is increased to accommodate collimator, then collimation is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing the longitudinal distance between source and sample to accommodate collimation, the invention utilizes the transverse dimension by inserting multiple collimator plates laterally between the source and sample. This dimensional approach allows effective collimation to be achieved without extending the source-to-sample distance, thereby avoiding increased power consumption while maintaining measurement precision.
3Measurement precision
If multiple slits are used for collimation, then radiation scattering is reduced, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The multi-slit collimation system is implemented by dividing the slits across multiple separate plates rather than attempting to manufacture a single complex plate with all slits. This segmentation simplifies manufacturing by allowing each plate to be fabricated independently with fewer slits, reducing overall manufacturing complexity while achieving the same radiation scattering reduction through the cumulative effect of multiple plates.
Data Source
AI summary
A collimating device is described. The collimating device includes a housing defining an interior surface and an exterior surface of the collimating device. The housing includes an inlet and an outlet and a cavity extending between the inlet and the outlet. The collimating device also includes a plurality of ridges extending from the interior surface of the housing toward a center of the cavity. The plurality of ridges form a plurality of slits within the cavity configured to collimate radiation entering the inlet and exiting the outlet.