Chemometric analyzer with a spatial radiation modulator having a plurality of radiation filters

1. A chemometric analyzer for analyzing a plurality of analytes, comprising:

at least one source providing radiation having at least two selected spectral components;

first optics dispersing the radiation having the at least two selected spectral components to form an image onto an encoding plane, said image dispersed by wavelength along an encoding axis substantially according to a dispersion function;

a spatial radiation modulator rotated about a rotation axis and positioned in said plane so that said encoding axis is substantially along a radial axis, said modulator having at least two radiation filters at different radii from said rotation axis, each of the filters modulating the intensities of a corresponding spectral component in the radiation, to provide an encoded beam comprising at least two encoded components as said modulator is rotated about said rotation axis, each of said filters having a radial position and a radial width substantially corresponding to a center wavelength and bandwidth of the corresponding spectral component, wherein the radial positions and radial widths of said filters are functions of the spectral properties of said analytes and said dispersion function;

a detector;

second optics directing said encoded beam onto said detector, causing the detector to provide an output; and

a computer analyzing signals generated by said detector in response to said encoded beam to determine presence of one or more of said analytes.

2. The analyzer of claim 1 , wherein said filters modulate the spectral components as harmonics of the rotation period of said modulator, said harmonics comprising prime numbers to minimize cross-talk of spectral components in the encoded beam.

3. The analyzer of claim 1 , wherein said computer identifies said analyte(s) in a sample.

4. The analyzer of claim 1 , wherein said computer determines amount(s) of analyte(s) in a sample.