Spectrometer Rotating Mirror Raster Scan
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional spectrometers face challenges in maintaining spectral resolution while covering larger sampling areas, particularly in heterogeneous samples like textiles with tagged fibers, where precise focus and large focal volumes are required for accurate material identification.
Innovation Solution
A spectrometer design that incorporates a rotating mirror assembly coupled to a rotary motor, allowing the focused incident beam to be moved across the sample surface in a raster pattern, maintaining high spectral resolution through a combination of a high étendue excitation/collection system and orbital raster scan technology, enabling detection of tagged fibers within textiles with improved accuracy and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a conventional spectrometer uses a fixed focused beam, then spectral resolution is maintained, but the sampling area is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by transforming the fixed optical system into a dynamic one. A rotating mirror assembly is introduced to scan the focused beam across the sample surface, enabling the sampling area to be expanded from a single point to a large area while maintaining spectral resolution. The mirror rotation mechanism allows the beam to dynamically cover multiple regions of the sample without compromising the focusing quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dimensionality change by adding the spatial scanning dimension to the traditional spectroscopy measurement. Instead of measuring only at a fixed point (0D), the rotating mirror enables 2D surface scanning, allowing the spectrometer to collect spectral data across a large area while maintaining the spectral resolution through controlled beam movement.
2Area of stationary object
If the focused beam is moved across the sample surface, then the sampling area increases, but maintaining spectral resolution becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The rotating mirror assembly creates a dynamic scanning system where the focused beam moves across the sample surface in a controlled manner. This dynamic approach allows the beam to illuminate different regions while maintaining tight focus at each point, thereby expanding the sampling area without sacrificing spectral resolution. The key is that the focusing lens continuously maintains a small spot size even as the mirror rotates.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by controlling the rotation speed and angle of the mirror assembly. By carefully managing these parameters, the system maintains optimal focus conditions throughout the scanning process. The focusing lens parameters are optimized to maintain a small spot size across the entire scan range, ensuring consistent spectral resolution throughout the enlarged sampling area.
3Area of stationary object
If a large focal volume is used to cover heterogeneous samples, then the sampling area increases, but spectral resolution deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by implementing a dynamic scanning approach with a rotating mirror. Instead of using a large static focal volume that would compromise resolution, the system maintains a small focused spot and moves it dynamically across the heterogeneous sample surface. This allows the spectrometer to sample multiple regions of interest while keeping the spot size small enough to maintain spectral resolution for each measurement point.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the large heterogeneous sample into multiple smaller measurement zones. The rotating mirror systematically scans the focused beam across different regions, effectively segmenting the overall sampling area into discrete measurement points. Each point maintains high spectral resolution, and the combination of multiple segmented measurements provides comprehensive coverage of the heterogeneous sample.
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
This approach allows for the detection of tagged fibers in textiles with high spectral resolution and throughput, enabling the identification of multiple tags within a large area without compromising spectral quality, even in inhomogeneous samples, and provides a cost-effective, user-friendly handheld device for material authentication.
Implementation Method 1
a rotating mirror assembly including an angled mirror face surface; and an actuator assembly for controlling the rotating mirror assembly to move a focused incident beam across a surface of the sample, wherein the actuator assembly comprises a rotary motor coupled to the rotating mirror assembly and adapted to rotate the angled mirror face to redirect an incident beam of the excitation signal
Implementation Method 2
a focusing lens for focusing the incident beam from the excitation source
Data Source
AI summary
A spectrometer is provided. In one implementation, for example, a spectrometer comprises an excitation source, a focusing lens, a movable mirror, and an actuator assembly. The focusing lens is adapted to focus an incident beam from the excitation source. The actuator assembly is adapted to control the movable mirror to move a focused incident beam across a surface of the sample.