Snapshot hyperspectral imager for emission and reactions (SHEAR)
A spectral imaging system includes an objective lens system, an optical splitter, a dispersion system, and an optical combiner. The optical splitter is arranged to be in an optical path of an object being imaged through the objective lens system to provide an imaging optical path and a spectrometer optical path. The dispersion system is arranged in the spectrometer optical path. The optical combiner is arranged in the imaging optical path and a path of dispersed light from the dispersion system to combined dispersed light with a corresponding optical image of the object.
1 . A spectral imaging system, comprising:
an objective lens system;
an optical splitter arranged to be in an optical path of an object being imaged through the objective lens system to provide an imaging optical path and a spectrometer optical path;
a dispersion system arranged in the spectrometer optical path;
an optical combiner arranged in the imaging optical path and a path of dispersed light from the dispersion system to provide combined dispersed light with a corresponding optical image of the object; and
a two-dimensional image sensor arranged in a path of the combined dispersed light with the corresponding optical image of the object,
wherein the combined dispersed light with the corresponding optical image of the object are spatially overlapping on the two-dimensional image sensor, and
wherein the two-dimensional image sensor captures the combined dispersed light with the corresponding optical image in a single frame.
2 . The spectral imaging system according to claim 1 , wherein the dispersion system comprises a reflecting dispersion element arranged to provide first order diffracted light to the optical combiner.
3 . The spectral imaging system according to claim 1 , wherein the optical splitter is one of a dichroic prism or a dichroic mirror.
4 . The spectral imaging system according to claim 1 , further comprising an image processing system configured to communicate with the two-dimensional image sensor to receive information regarding the combined dispersed light with the corresponding optical image of the object.
5 . The spectral imaging system according to claim 4 , wherein the image processing system is configured to simultaneously measure the size, position, morphology, temperature, or emission spectra of reacting materials or molecules, solid propellants, liquid fuel droplet combustion, carbon/soot combustion, Si or B.
6 . The spectral imaging system according to claim 4 , wherein the image processing system is further configured to register spectral information with at least one of localized image regions or spots from the information received from the two-dimensional image sensor.
7 . The spectral imaging system according to claim 6 , wherein the image processing system is further configured to track over time a position of each of the at least one of localized image regions or spots from the information received from the two-dimensional image sensor.
8 . The spectral imaging system according to claim 7 , wherein the image processing system is further configured to track the position of each of the at least one of localized image regions or spots over a series of frames.
9 . The spectral imaging system according to claim 7 , wherein the image processing system is further configured to recover spectral information registered with each of the at least one of localized image regions or spots from the information received from the two-dimensional image sensor.
10 . The spectral imaging system according to claim 9 , wherein the image processing system is arranged to process the spectral information data in the form of 3-dimensional hyperspectral cubes, and to recover the spectral information registered with each of the at least one of localized image regions or spots by deconvolution using spectral de-mixing.
11 . The spectral imaging system according to claim 4 , wherein the image processing system is further configured to provide a temperature map corresponding to the spectral information.
12 . The spectral imaging system according to claim 4 , wherein the information regarding the combined dispersed light with the corresponding optical image of the object includes data from propellants, pyrotechnics, metal and non-metal fuels, carbon/soot combustion, high explosives, metallized explosives, molecules, or impact and fragmentation high speed thermography.
13 . The spectral imaging system according to claim 1 , further comprising a transmissive mask arranged to randomly sample a field of view in the path of dispersed light.
14 . The spectral imaging system according to claim 1 , wherein the two-dimensional image sensor is configured to form a hyperspectral datacube comprising spatial and spectral dimensions from the single frame.
15 . The spectral imaging system according to claim 14 , wherein the image processing system is configured to deconvolve overlapping spectra from a plurality of localized image regions by exploiting temporal evolution of the localized image regions across a series of frames to recover spectral information for each of the localized image regions.
16 . A method of spectral imaging comprising:
imaging an object through an objective lens system along an optical path;
splitting the optical path of the object being imaged to provide an imaging optical path and a spectrometer optical path;
dispersing light in the spectrometer optical path; and
combining the dispersed light from the spectrometer optical path with a corresponding optical image of the object from the imaging optical path; and
imaging the combined dispersed light with the corresponding optical image of the object with a two-dimensional image sensor,
wherein the combined dispersed light with the corresponding optical image of the object are spatially overlapping on the two-dimensional image sensor, and
wherein the two-dimensional image sensor captures the combined dispersed light with the corresponding optical image in a single frame.
17 . The method according to claim 16 , further comprising receiving information regarding the combined dispersed light with the corresponding optical image of the object.
18 . The method according to claim 17 , further comprising registering spectral information with at least one of localized image regions or spots from the information received.
19 . The method according to claim 18 , further comprising tracking over time a position of each of the at least one of localized image regions or spots from the information received.
20 . The method according to claim 19 , further comprising recovering spectral information registered with each of the at least one of localized image regions or spots from the information received.