Adaptive Spectrometer Aperture Geometry for Beam Path Quality

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional aperture geometries in spectrometers are often unsuitable for the beam path, failing to optimize spectrometer characteristics such as aberrations and geometric light throughput, leading to suboptimal performance.

Innovation Solution

An adaptive method for determining the aperture geometry of a diaphragm by specifying an optical model, establishing a quality function, calculating quality measures for sub-apertures, and forming the aperture geometry based on these measures to align with the beam path's quality criteria.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If conventional aperture geometries (circular, elliptical, rectangular) are used in spectrometers, then the aperture diaphragm can be easily manufactured and positioned, but the spectrometer characteristics such as aberrations and geometric light throughput cannot be optimized

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaperture geometryVSAvoidspectrometer performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by transitioning from conventional fixed aperture geometries to adaptive geometries that can be dynamically adjusted. The system modifies the aperture shape parameters (circular, elliptical, rectangular, or custom shapes) based on real-time beam path quality assessment, allowing optimization of spectrometer performance while maintaining manufacturability through programmable control

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention implements dynamics by making the aperture geometry adaptive rather than static. The aperture diaphragm can change its effective geometry dynamically based on the calculated beam path quality, allowing the system to optimize performance for different operating conditions while maintaining a simple physical structure that can be manufactured conventionally

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If the aperture diaphragm is positioned before the entrance slit where light beams have not yet been spectrally split, then the aperture can define the beam geometry early in the path, but common aperture geometries are unsuitable for the beam path within the spectrometer

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebeam geometry definitionVSAvoidaperture geometry suitability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the aperture geometry parameters dynamically based on the spectral content and beam path requirements. By calculating beam path quality for different aperture shapes and selecting the optimal geometry, the system adapts the aperture parameters to match the specific requirements at each position in the beam path, whether before or after the entrance slit

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention implements feedback by calculating the beam path quality metric based on the actual spectral content and optical path conditions, then using this feedback to select or adjust the aperture geometry. This closed-loop approach ensures the aperture geometry is always suitable for the current beam path conditions, regardless of position in the spectrometer

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4682489A1Method for adapting a temperature of a temperature adjusting plate to the beam path of light beams in a spectrometer
Publication Date: 2026.01.21 ANALYTIK JENA GMBHCO KG
  • EP4682489A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4682489A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4682489A1 patent drawing

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for adapting the aperture geometry of an aperture (1) of an aperture diaphragm (2) to a beam path (3) of light beams in a spectrometer (4), wherein the spectrometer (4) comprises the aperture diaphragm (2), several optical components (5), and a detector (6), and wherein the method comprises at least the following steps: specifying an optical model that describes the beam path (3) and includes the optical components (5) as well as their position and orientation; establishing a quality function that describes at least one quality criterion of the beam path (3), wherein the quality function calculates a quality measure based on the optical model; specifying a position of the aperture diaphragm (2) and a maximum area (8) of the aperture (1) in the optical model, wherein the maximum area (8) is composed of a plurality of sub-apertures (9); and calculating a quality measure for each sub-aperture (9) using the quality function.Determining the aperture geometry using the quality measures of the sub-apertures (9).