Miniature high-resolution optical spectrometer
| 489 - Abstract of the offer: |
| The European Space Agency (ESA) presents a novel optical spectrometer working with a large free spectral range combined with a high spectral resolution. Particularly applicable to optical spectrometers for space exploration vessels, the technology has applications in spectrometry (RAMAN, LIBS), remote sensing, Earth Observation, measurements in chemistry, geology, environment, security etc. ESA is seeking partners interested in licensing. |
Description of the offer:
This innovation is a spectrometer that combines a large free spectral range of wavelengths with a high spectral resolution, and with lower weight and smaller size than spectrometers of prior art with competing optical performances. This is achieved by provision of a high resolution spectrometer comprising an entry or entrance aperture for a beam of electromagnetic radiation, a first dispersion device for dispersing the beam into various wavelength components in a first direction, a second dispersion device for dispersing each wavelength component output from the first dispersion device in a second direction, and an imaging device comprising a sensitive detection spectrum surface on which the beam is focused. The first dispersion device is an optical filter that varies linearly and has a surface on which the beam is focused, each point on the surface of the filter operating like a pass band filter with a central frequency varying linearly in the first direction.
Innovations and advantages:
The second dispersion device is a diffraction grating, which is required by the high spectral resolution at high diffraction orders. Sufficient to analyse atomic emission lines.
Domain of Application:
- Spectrometry (RAMAN, LIBS)
- remote sensing
- Earth Observation
- measurements in chemistry
- geology
- environment
- security
- Chromatographs and related laboratory equipment (including spectrometers)
