Spectrometer Device with Integrated Detector and Reflective Focusing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional spectrometers face challenges in achieving high resolution and light efficiency due to limitations in angle of incidence range and chromatic aberration, often requiring additional lens elements and suffering from reflection losses and absorption issues.

Innovation Solution

A compact spectrometer device design featuring a Fabry-Pérot interferometer with a reflective focusing device and a detector integrated into the optical interference filter, utilizing a reflective surface to focus filtered light with minimal chromatic aberration and reduced absorption, and incorporating a broadband absorbing coating to enhance signal-to-noise ratio.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If conventional spectrometers use additional lens elements to achieve high resolution, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases and manufacturing costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveresolutionVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The detector assembly is integrated directly into the optical interference filter, merging two separate components (detector and filter) into a single unified structure. This eliminates the need for additional lens elements and focusing devices, reducing device complexity while maintaining high resolution through the combined optical-detection unit

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts and eliminates unnecessary intermediate optical components (additional lenses and focusing devices) from the conventional spectrometer design. By directly integrating the detector into the interference filter, the design removes redundant elements that contribute to complexity without compromising measurement precision

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Measurement precision

If conventional spectrometers use additional lens elements to achieve high resolution, then measurement precision is improved, but manufacturing costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveresolutionVSAvoidmanufacturing costs
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

By merging the detector assembly with the optical interference filter into a single integrated unit, the patent reduces the total number of components that need to be manufactured, assembled, and aligned. This integration simplifies the manufacturing process and reduces costs while preserving high resolution capabilities

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts and eliminates redundant optical components (additional lenses and focusing devices) from the design. This reduction in component count directly lowers manufacturing costs, material requirements, and assembly complexity while maintaining measurement precision through the integrated detector-filter structure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Loss of energy

If conventional spectrometers use reflective surfaces to focus light, then light efficiency is improved, but chromatic aberration occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelight efficiencyVSAvoidchromatic aberration
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates the focusing device from the optical path by directly integrating the detector into the interference filter. This removes the source of chromatic aberration (reflective focusing surfaces) entirely while maintaining high light efficiency through the direct optical-detection integration, avoiding the need to trade off between light efficiency and chromatic aberration

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Loss of energy

If conventional spectrometers use optical interference filters with wide angular range, then light efficiency is improved, but resolution deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelight efficiencyVSAvoidresolution
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

By merging the detector assembly with the optical interference filter, the patent creates a tightly coupled optical-detection system. This integration allows for precise control of the angular range at the detector plane while maintaining high light efficiency, as the filtered light is directly detected without requiring additional focusing elements that would compromise resolution

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

The solution enables high light efficiency, reduced manufacturing costs, and improved resolution with negligible chromatic aberration and lower reflection losses, allowing for a compact and cost-effective spectrometer with enhanced signal-to-noise ratio.

Implementation Method 1

The optical interference filter comprises two mirrors spaced apart from each other and actuated relative to each other, and is configured to filter specific wavelength ranges of an incident light beam as it passes through the optical interference filter

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectOptical interference: Interference

Implementation Method 2

The focusing device has a reflective surface and is configured to focus the filtered light beam onto the detector assembly by reflection off the surface

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectReflection: Reflection

Data Source

PatentEP3894811B1Spectrometer device and method for producing a spectrometer device
Publication Date: 2024.12.04 ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
  • EP3894811B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3894811B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3894811B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The invention relates to a spectrometer device (1a) having: an optical interference filter (2) which is designed to filter specific wavelength ranges of an incident light beam (L) on passage through the optical interference filter (2); a detector device (3) which is designed to detect the filtered light beam (L); and a focusing device (4a) with a reflective surface (5), wherein the focusing device (4a) is designed to focus the filtered light beam (L) onto the detector device (3) by reflection on the surface (5).