SPECTRAL ENCODER
First Claim
1. A spectral encoder for producing spectrally selected images of a radiation field containing multiple spectral components, comprising:
- an imaging spectrograph that defines a first optical path that produces from the input radiation field a spectrally dispersed image comprising multiple spectral components displaced along a dispersion direction;
means, comprising a spatial light modulator, for encoding spectral pass bands on the dispersed image using one or more spatial masks;
the imaging spectrograph further defining a second optical path that reverses the spectral dispersion of the first path and produces a spectrally-encoded polychromatic output image containing spectral components as encoded by the spatial mask;
wherein the first and second optical paths share a common dispersing element; and
a detector that records at least one spatial region of the spectrally encoded output image.
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Abstract
A spectral encoder for producing spectrally selected images of a radiation field containing multiple spectral components. An imaging spectrograph defines a first optical path that produces from the input radiation field a spectrally dispersed image comprising multiple spectral components displaced along a dispersion direction. Spectral pass bands are encoded on the dispersed image by a programmable spatial light modulator using one or more spatial masks. The imaging spectrograph further defines a second optical path that reverses the spectral dispersion of the first path and produces a spectrally-encoded polychromatic output image containing only those spectral components encoded by the spatial mask. The first and second optical paths share a common dispersing element. A detector records at least one spatial region of the spectrally encoded output image.
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Citations
48 Claims
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1. A spectral encoder for producing spectrally selected images of a radiation field containing multiple spectral components, comprising:
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an imaging spectrograph that defines a first optical path that produces from the input radiation field a spectrally dispersed image comprising multiple spectral components displaced along a dispersion direction;
means, comprising a spatial light modulator, for encoding spectral pass bands on the dispersed image using one or more spatial masks;
the imaging spectrograph further defining a second optical path that reverses the spectral dispersion of the first path and produces a spectrally-encoded polychromatic output image containing spectral components as encoded by the spatial mask;
wherein the first and second optical paths share a common dispersing element; and
a detector that records at least one spatial region of the spectrally encoded output image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A spectral encoder for producing spectrally selected images of a radiation field containing multiple spectral components, comprising:
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a first spectrograph means that forms a dispersed image comprising multiple spectral components displaced along a dispersion direction;
means, comprising a spatial light modulator, for encoding spectral pass bands on the dispersed image;
means for redirecting the dispersed image through a second spectrograph means to recombine the selected spectral components into a spectrally encoded two-dimensional image;
a detector that records at least one spatially resolved element of the spectrally encoded image;
wherein each spectrograph means comprises a near-concentric optical system defined by a convex dispersive element and at least one concave mirror;
wherein the input image, dispersed image, and the center of curvature of the curved optical surfaces are nearly coplanar, and the light path through the spectrograph means originates in the object plane, proceeds along a first path to a first location on the concave mirror, along a second path to the convex dispersive element, along a third path to a second location on the concave mirror, and along a fourth path back to the image plane; and
wherein the dispersive element is oriented so that the dispersed images are placed near the dispersive element center of curvature along the dispersion direction, and substantially offset from the dispersive element center of curvature in the direction perpendicular to the dispersion direction. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A spectral encoder for producing spectrally processed images of a radiation field containing multiple spectral components, comprising:
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a first spectrograph means that forms a dispersed image comprising multiple spectral components displaced along a dispersion direction;
means for encoding selected spectral pass bands on the dispersed image using a spatial mask;
means for redirecting the dispersed image through a second spectrograph means to recombine the selected spectral components into a spectrally encoded two-dimensional image;
a detector comprising one or more detector elements that record spatially resolved elements of the image; and
wherein each detector element defines a virtual slit, that in combination with the spatial mask defines a specific template of spectral pass bands. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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Specification