Portable spectrometer
A portable spectrometer device includes an illumination source for directing at a sample, and a tapered light pipe (TLP) for capturing light interacting with the sample at a first focal ratio and for delivering the light at a second focal ratio lower than the first focal ratio. A linearly variable filter (LVF) separates the captured light into a spectrum of constituent wavelength signals; and a detector array, including a plurality of pixels, each of the plurality of pixels disposed to receive at least a portion of a plurality of the constituent wavelength signals provides a power reading for each constituent wavelength. Preferably, the TLP is lensed at one end, and recessed in a protective boot with stepped inner walls. The gap between the TLP and LVF is minimized to further enhance resolution and robustness.
1. A spectrometer device comprising:
a tapered light pipe (TLP) for capturing light from a sample, based on light directed at the sample;
a variable filter for separating the captured light into a spectrum of wavelength signals; and
a detector array, including a plurality of pixels, for providing a power reading for each wavelength of the spectrum of wavelength signals,
each of the plurality of pixels being disposed to receive at least a respective portion of a wavelength signal of the spectrum of wavelength signals,
the TLP including:
a first end, positioned adjacent to the sample, having first dimensions,
a second end, positioned adjacent to the variable filter, having second dimensions, and
a plurality of sidewalls for mixing and spreading the light, and
the variable filter and the detector array being separated by a gap,
the gap including an optically transparent adhesive.
2. The spectrometer device of claim 1 , further comprising:
an illumination source to direct the light at the sample.
3. The spectrometer device of claim 2 , where
the illumination source including at least two illumination sources,
a first illumination source, of the at least two illumination sources, is located above the sample, and
a second illumination source, of the at least two illumination sources, is located below the sample.
4. The spectrometer device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a TLP boot including a support section for supporting the TLP and a spacer section for spacing the TLP a particular distance from the sample,
the spacer section including stepped inner walls.
5. The spectrometer device of claim 1 , where the variable filter includes a multi-layer stack including a plurality of reflectors.
6. The spectrometer device of claim 5 , where the plurality of reflectors have a varying thickness.
7. The spectrometer device of claim 1 , where
the spectrum of wavelength signals is transmitted to a temperature feedback device, and
a temperature adjustment is performed based on the transmitted spectrum of wavelength signals.
8. The spectrometer device of claim 1 , where the spectrum of wavelength signals is transmitted, by at least one of the detector array or a temperature feedback device, to a control device for performing a temperature adjustment.
9. The spectrometer device of claim 1 , where the spectrometer device receives power from at least one of a battery or a via USB cable connection.
10. The spectrometer device of claim 1 , where the spectrometer device communicates with a server device,
the spectrum of wavelength signals being received by the server device and compared to a library of spectrum models for generation of a result of the comparison.
11. The spectrometer device of claim 1 , where the spectrometer device communicates with a control device,
the spectrum of wavelength signals being received by the control device and compared to a library of spectrum models for generation of a result of the comparison.
12. The spectrometer device of claim 11 , where the spectrometer device communicates with the control device via at least one of:
a Bluetooth connection,
a WiFi network, or
a 4G network.
13. The spectrometer device of claim 11 , where the spectrometer device communicates with the control device via a USB connection.
14. A spectrometer device comprising:
an illumination source for directing light at a sample;
a tapered light pipe (TLP) for capturing light from the sample;
a variable filter for separating the captured light into a spectrum of wavelength signals; and
a detector array, including a plurality of pixels, for providing a power reading for each wavelength of the spectrum of wavelength signals,
each of the plurality of pixels being disposed to receive at least a respective portion of a wavelength signal of the spectrum of wavelength signals,
the TLP including:
a first end, positioned adjacent to the sample, having first dimensions,
a second end, positioned adjacent to the variable filter, having second dimensions, and
a plurality of sidewalls for mixing and spreading the light, and
the TLP accepting light at a first focal ratio with a first cone angle and delivering light to the variable filter at a second focal ratio with a second cone angle that is less than the first cone angle.
15. The spectrometer device of claim 14 , further comprising:
an illumination source to direct the light at the sample.
16. The spectrometer device of claim 15 , where
the illumination source including at least two illumination sources,
a first illumination source, of the at least two illumination sources, is located above the sample, and
a second illumination source, of the at least two illumination sources, is located below the sample.
17. The spectrometer device of claim 14 , further comprising:
a TLP boot including a support section for supporting the TLP and a spacer section for spacing the TLP a particular distance from the sample,
the spacer section including stepped inner walls.
18. The spectrometer device of claim 14 , where the variable filter includes a multi-layer stack including a plurality of reflectors.
19. The spectrometer device of claim 18 , where the plurality of reflectors have a varying thickness.
20. The spectrometer device of claim 14 , where
the spectrum of wavelength signals is transmitted to a temperature feedback device, and
a temperature adjustment is performed based on the transmitted spectrum of wavelength signals.
21. The spectrometer device of claim 14 , where the spectrum of wavelength signals is transmitted, by at least one of the detector array or a temperature feedback device, to a control device for performing a temperature adjustment.
22. The spectrometer device of claim 14 , where the spectrometer device receives power from at least one of a battery or a via USB cable connection.
23. The spectrometer device of claim 14 , where the spectrometer device communicates with a server device,
the spectrum of wavelength signals being received by the server device and compared to a library of spectrum models for generation of a result of the comparison.
24. The spectrometer device of claim 14 , where the spectrometer device communicates with a control device,
the spectrum of wavelength signals being received by the control device and compared to a library of spectrum models for generation of a result of the comparison.
25. The spectrometer device of claim 24 , where the spectrometer device communicates with the control device via at least one of:
a Bluetooth connection,
a WiFi network, or
a 4G network.
26. A method comprising:
directing, by an illumination source, light at a sample;
capturing, by a tapered light pipe (TLP), light from the sample,
the TLP including:
a first end, positioned adjacent to the sample, having first dimensions,
a second end, positioned adjacent to a variable filter, having second dimensions, and
a plurality of sidewalls for mixing and spreading the light,
the TLP accepting light at a first focal ratio with a first cone angle, and
the TLP delivering light, to the variable filter, at a second focal ratio with a second cone angle that is less than the first cone angle;
separating, by the variable filter, the captured light into a spectrum of wavelength signals; and
providing, by a detector array including a plurality of pixels, a power reading for each wavelength of the spectrum of wavelength signals,
each of the plurality of pixels being disposed to receive at least a respective portion of a wavelength signal of the spectrum of wavelength signals.
27. The method of claim 26 , where
the illumination source includes at least two illumination sources,
a first illumination source, of the at least two illumination sources, is located above the sample, and
a second illumination source, of the at least two illumination sources, is located below the sample.
28. The method of claim 26 , further comprising:
transmitting the spectrum of wavelength signals to a temperature feedback device,
where a temperature adjustment is performed based on the transmitted spectrum of wavelength signals.
29. The method of claim 26 , further comprising:
transmitting, by at least one of the detector array or a temperature feedback device, the spectrum of wavelength signals to a control device for performing a temperature adjustment.
30. The method of claim 26 , further comprising:
transmitting the spectrum of wavelength signals to a server device for comparison to a library of spectrum models and generation of a result of the comparison.
31. The method of claim 26 , further comprising:
transmitting the spectrum of wavelength signals to a control device for comparison to a library of spectrum models and generation of a result of the comparison.
32. The method of claim 31 , further comprising:
communicating with the control device via at least one of:
a Bluetooth connection,
a WiFi network, or
a 4G network.
33. The method of claim 26 , further comprising:
receiving power from at least one of a battery or a via USB cable connection.