Laser Array Excitation and Multichannel Detection in a Spectrometer
Spectrometers are provided comprising a plurality of excitation light sources (e.g., a plurality of laser light sources), a plurality of detector elements, and/or a plurality of excitation light sources and a plurality of detector elements. In one embodiment, for example, a spectrometer includes a light source adapted to provide an excitation incident beam, a detector adapted to detect a spectroscopy signal; and an optical system adapted to direct the excitation incident beam toward a sample, receive a spectroscopy signal from the sample and provide the spectroscopy signal to the detector. The light source includes a plurality of laser sources adapted to provide a plurality of excitation incident beams through the optical system and/or the detector comprises a plurality of detector elements.
1 . A spectrometer comprising:
a light source adapted to provide an excitation incident beam;
a detector adapted to detect a spectroscopy signal; and
an optical system adapted to direct the excitation incident beam toward a sample, receive a spectroscopy signal from the sample and provide the spectroscopy signal to the detector,
wherein the light source comprises a plurality of laser sources adapted to provide a plurality of excitation incident beams through the optical system.
2 . The spectrometer of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of laser sources comprises a plurality of VCSEL laser sources.
3 . The spectrometer of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of laser sources of the light source comprises a two-dimensional array of laser sources.
4 . The spectrometer of claim 3 , wherein the two-dimensional array of laser sources comprises a VCSEL laser array.
5 . The spectrometer of claim 1 , wherein the optical system is adapted to provide the plurality of excitation incident beams to the sample and to receive a plurality of spectroscopy signals from the sample corresponding to the plurality of excitation incident beams.
6 . The spectrometer of claim 1 , wherein the optical system is adapted to provide the plurality of excitation incident beams across a surface of the sample.
7 . The spectrometer of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the plurality of laser sources are addressable.
8 . The spectrometer of claim 7 , wherein each of the laser sources are individually addressable.
9 . The spectrometer of claim 7 , wherein at least two portions of the plurality of laser sources are individually addressable.
10 . The spectrometer of claim 1 , wherein the detector comprises a plurality of detector elements.
11 . The spectrometer of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of detector elements comprises a two-dimensional array of detector elements.
12 . The spectrometer of claim 10 , wherein at least a portion of the plurality of detector elements are addressable.
13 . The spectrometer of claim 12 , wherein each of the detector elements are individually addressable.
14 . The spectrometer of claim 12 , wherein at least two portions of the plurality of detector elements are individually addressable.
15 . The spectrometer of claim 1 , wherein the spectrometer comprises a controller adapted to process one or more detector signals from the detector.
16 . The spectrometer of claim 15 , wherein the controller is adapted to correct a curvature of the spectroscopy signal at the detector.
17 . The spectrometer of claim 16 , wherein the controller is adapted to correct the curvature by fitting a circle to a known line.
18 . The spectrometer of claim 15 , wherein the controller is adapted to linearize the detected spectroscopy signal received at the detector.
19 . The spectrometer of claim 1 , wherein the optical system comprises a lens adapted to flatten an intensity profile of the spectroscopy signal at the detector.
20 . The spectrometer of claim 1 , wherein the detector comprises a plurality of detector elements adapted to detect a plurality of spectroscopy signals corresponding to the plurality of excitation incident beams.
21 . The spectrometer of claim 20 , wherein the spectrometer comprises a controller adapted to separate spectra of a target material and a second material of a sample.
22 . The spectrometer of claim 21 , wherein the sample comprises an inhomogeneous sample.
23 . The spectrometer of claim 21 , wherein the second material comprises a surface of the sample.
24 . The spectrometer of claim 1 , wherein the optical system comprises a beam expander adapted to expand the plurality of excitation incident beams at a surface of the sample.
26 . A spectrometer comprising:
a light source adapted to provide an excitation incident beam;
a detector adapted to detect a spectroscopy signal; and
an optical system adapted to direct the excitation incident beam toward a sample, receive a spectroscopy signal from the sample and provide the spectroscopy signal to the detector,
wherein the detector comprises a plurality of detector elements.
27 . The spectrometer of claim 26 , wherein the light source comprises a VCSEL laser source.
28 . The spectrometer of claim 26 , wherein the light source comprises a plurality of laser sources adapted to provide a plurality of excitation incident beams.
29 . The spectrometer of claim 28 , wherein the plurality of laser sources comprises a two-dimensional array of laser sources.
30 . The spectrometer of claim 29 , wherein the two-dimensional array of laser sources comprises a VCSEL laser array.
31 . The spectrometer of claim 28 , wherein the optical system is adapted to provide the plurality of excitation incident beams to the sample and to receive a plurality of spectroscopy signals from the sample corresponding to the plurality of excitation incident beams.
32 . The spectrometer of claim 28 , wherein the optical system is adapted to provide the plurality of excitation incident beams across a surface of the sample.
33 . The spectrometer of claim 28 , wherein at least a portion of the plurality of laser sources are addressable.
34 . The spectrometer of claim 26 , wherein the plurality of detector elements comprises a two-dimensional array of detector elements.
35 . The spectrometer of claim 26 , wherein at least a portion of the plurality of detector elements are addressable.
36 . The spectrometer of claim 35 , wherein each of the detector elements are individually addressable.
37 . The spectrometer of claim 35 , wherein at least two portions of the plurality of detector elements are individually addressable.
38 . The spectrometer of claim 26 , wherein the spectrometer comprises a controller adapted to process one or more detector signals from the detector.
39 . The spectrometer of claim 38 , wherein the controller is adapted to correct a curvature of the spectroscopy signal at the detector.
40 . The spectrometer of claim 39 , wherein the controller is adapted to correct the curvature by fitting a circle to a known line.
41 . The spectrometer of claim 38 , wherein the controller is adapted to linearize the detected spectroscopy signal received at the detector.
42 . The spectrometer of claim 26 , wherein the optical system comprises a lens adapted to flatten an intensity profile of the spectroscopy signal at the detector.
43 . The spectrometer of claim 26 , wherein plurality of detector elements are adapted to detect a plurality of spectroscopy signals corresponding to a plurality of excitation incident beams.
44 . The spectrometer of claim 43 , wherein the spectrometer comprises a controller adapted to separate spectra of a target material and a second material of a sample.
45 . The spectrometer of claim 44 , wherein the sample comprises an inhomogeneous sample.
46 . The spectrometer of claim 44 , wherein the second material comprises a surface of the sample.
47 . The spectrometer of claim 26 , wherein the optical system comprises a beam expander adapted to expand the plurality of excitation incident beams at a surface of the sample.
48 . A spectrometer comprising:
a light source adapted to provide an excitation incident beam;
a detector adapted to detect a spectroscopy signal; and
an optical system adapted to direct the excitation incident beam toward a sample, receive a spectroscopy signal from the sample and provide the spectroscopy signal to the detector,
wherein the optical system comprises a beam expander adapted to expand the excitation incident beam.
49 . A method for determining at least one spectrum of a sample, the method comprising:
providing a plurality of excitation incident beams from a light source comprising a plurality of light sources;
directing the plurality of excitation incident beams to a sample via an optical system;
receiving a spectroscopy signal from the sample via the optical system; and
directing the spectroscopy signal to a detector via the optical system;
determining at least one spectrum corresponding to the spectroscopy signal.
50 . The method of claim 49 , wherein the operation of determining at least one spectrum is performed via a controller.
51 . A method for determining at least one spectrum of a sample, the method comprising:
providing an excitation incident beam from a light source;
directing the excitation incident beam to a sample via an optical system;
receiving a spectroscopy signal from the sample via the optical system;
directing the spectroscopy signal to a detector via the optical system, wherein the detector comprises a plurality of detector elements; and
determining at least one spectrum corresponding to the spectroscopy signal.
50 . The method of claim 49 , wherein the operation of determining at least one spectrum is performed via a controller.
51 . The method of claim 49 , wherein the detector comprises a two-dimensional array of detector elements.
52 . A method for determining at least one spectrum of a sample, the method comprising:
providing an excitation incident beam from a light source;
directing the excitation incident beam to a sample via an optical system;
expanding the excitation incident beam within the optical system;
receiving a spectroscopy signal from the sample via the optical system; and
directing the spectroscopy signal to a detector via the optical system;
determining at least one spectrum corresponding to the spectroscopy signal.
53 . The method of claim 52 , wherein the operation of determining at least one spectrum is performed via a controller.