Systems, methods and devices for holographic demultiplexing of optical signals
View Patent ↗Systems, methods and devices for holographic demultiplexing of optical signals that include constituent light signals of different wavelengths. A holographic demultiplexor includes a volume hologram having holograms for redirecting the constituent light signals. A dispersion element linearly disperses the optical signal, and the individual holograms of the volume hologram spatially reflect the constituent light signals back to the dispersion member at specific angles. The volume hologram spatially reflects the constituent light signals such that they are dispersed in two dimensions. The dispersion element then reflects the two dimensionally dispersed wavelengths to a two dimensional detector array.
1. A holographic demultiplexor, comprising:
a first volume hologram configured to receive a light signal and separate the light signal into constituent light signals, each of which has at least one corresponding wavelength;
a second volume hologram that includes a plurality of hologram, each of which is configured to receive and reflect a respective constituent light signal; and
a detector array configured to receive the reflected constituent light signals.
2. The holographic demultiplexor as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first volume hologram is configured to arrange the constituent light signals substantially in one dimension.
3. The holographic demultiplexor as recited in claim 1 , wherein each hologram in the second volume hologram is configured to spatially position a respective constituent light signal.
4. The holographic demultiplexor as recited in claim 1 , wherein the detector array comprises a two dimensional detector array.
5. The holographic demultiplexor as recited in claim 1 , wherein the detector array comprises a plurality of interleaved detectors.
6. The holographic demultiplexor as recited in claim 1 , wherein the detector array comprises at least one detector that includes a sub-array of detectors.
7. The holographic demultiplexor as recited in claim 1 , wherein each hologram of the second volume hologram comprises a transmission hologram of a diffraction grating for at least one wavelength.
8. The holographic demultiplexor as recited in claim 1 , wherein a hologram of the second volume hologram is configured to reflect a respective constituent light signal in a particular direction.
9. The holographic demultiplexor as recited in claim 1 , further comprising focusing optics configured to focus the constituent light signals reflected by the first volume hologram onto the detector array.
10. The holographic demultiplexor as recited in claim 1 , further comprising collimating optics configured and arranged to provide a collimated light signal to the first volume hologram.
11. A holographic demultiplexor, comprising:
a two dimensional detector array; and
a volume hologram configured to receive a light signal and separate the light signal into constituent light signals, each of which has at least one corresponding wavelength, wherein the volume hologram comprises a plurality of holograms, each of which is configured to spatially position a respective constituent light signal at a desired location on the two dimensional detector array.
12. The holographic demultiplexor as recited in claim 11 , wherein the two dimensional detector array comprises a plurality of interleaved detectors.
13. The holographic demultiplexor as recited in claim 11 , wherein the two dimensional detector array includes at least one detector that includes a sub-array of detectors.
14. An optical spectroscopy system, comprising:
collimating optics configured to receive a light signal;
a dispersion element configured to receive a collimated light signal at least indirectly from the collimating optics and to separate the collimated light signal into constituent light signals, each of which has at least one corresponding wavelength;
a volume hologram that includes a plurality of holograms, each of which is configured to receive and reflect a respective constituent light signal;
focusing optics configured to image the reflected constituent light signals; and
a detector array upon which the reflected constituent light signals can be imaged by the focusing optics.
15. The optical spectroscopy system as recited in claim 14 , wherein the dispersion element comprises one of: a first volume hologram; a prism; and, a diffraction grazing.
16. The optical spectroscopy system as recited in claim 14 , wherein the detector array is two dimensional.
17. The optical spectroscopy system as recited in claim 14 , wherein the detector array comprises a plurality of interleaved detectors.
18. The optical spectroscopy system as recited in claim 14 , wherein the detector array comprises at least one detector that includes a sub-array of detectors.
19. The optical spectroscopy system as recited in claim 14 , further comprising a reflector optically interposed between the collimating optics and the dispersion element.