IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,006,217
Granted Patent B2
US 7,006,217 · App. 10/658,141 · Granted Feb 28, 2006

Compact catadioptric imaging spectrometer utilizing immersed gratings

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,006,217
App. No.
10/658,141
Granted
Feb 28, 2006
Kind
B2
Abstract

An imaging spectrometer comprising an entrance slit for directing light, a lens that receives said light and reflects said light, a grating that defracts said light back onto said lens which focuses said light, and a detector array that receives said focused light. In one embodiment the grating has rulings immersed into a germanium surface.

Claims (21)

1. An imaging spectrometer apparatus, comprising:

an entrance slit for directing light,

a lens that receives said light and directs said light,

a grating that receives said light from said lens and defracts said light back onto said lens which focuses said light, and wherein said grating has rulings immersed into a germanium surface, and

a detector array that receives said focused light.

2. The imaging spectrometer apparatus of claim 1 wherein said grating has rulings immersed into a wedged germanium grating.

3. The imaging spectrometer apparatus of claim 1 wherein said grating has rulings immersed into a flat germanium grating.

4. The imaging spectrometer apparatus of claim 3 wherein said grating has equally spaced straight rulings.

5. The imaging spectrometer apparatus of claim 1 wherein said grating has rulings that have varying ruling spacings.

6. The imaging spectrometer apparatus of claim 1 wherein said grating has rulings that are curved.

7. The imaging spectrometer apparatus of claim 1 wherein said grating has rulings that are cut on the back of a wedged piano-convex lens.

8. The imaging spectrometer apparatus of claim 1 wherein said grating has rulings that are cut on the back of a wedged piano-concave lens.

9. The imaging spectrometer apparatus of claim 1 wherein said grating has rulings that are cut on the back of a wedged germanium prism.

10. The imaging spectrometer apparatus of claim 1 wherein said apparatus has a front and a back, and wherein said entrance slit and said detector array are located at or near said front, and wherein said lens is located at or near said back.

11. The imaging spectrometer apparatus of claim 10 wherein said entrance slit, said grating, said lens, and said detector array fit within an envelope located between said front and said back.

12. The imaging spectrometer apparatus of claim 11 wherein said envelope is 3.0 cm by 3.7 cm by 1.6 cm or smaller.

13. The imaging spectrometer apparatus of claim 11 wherein said envelope is 2.3 cm by 2.2 cm by 1.4 cm or smaller.

14. The compact imaging spectrometer apparatus of claim 11 wherein said envelope is 6.0 cm by 6.0 cm by 3.1 cm or smaller.

15. The imaging spectrometer apparatus of claim 1 wherein said lens is a catadioptric lens.

16. The imaging spectrometer apparatus of claim 1 wherein said lens is a ZNSE catadioptric lens.

17. The imaging spectrometer apparatus of claim 1 wherein said lens has rotationally symmetric surfaces.