Abstract: An optical unit has a filter member that disperses transmitted light and a photodetector that has light receiving elements. The filter member has a light transmissive substrate, protrusions including a first metallic material and formed on one surface of the substrate, and a metal film including a second metallic material having a refractive index higher than that of the first metallic material and formed so as to cover the protrusions as well as the one surface of the substrate. The metal film located between adjacent protrusions can be a diffraction grating and the protrusions can be waveguides. At least one of the grating cycle of the diffraction grating, the height of the protrusions, and the thickness of the metal film is set to a value different for each portion such that a wavelength of light transmitted through the filter member changes for each portion.

Abstract: A spectrometry apparatus includes a transmissive diffraction grating that transmits incident light. The transmissive diffraction grating has inclined surfaces made of a first dielectric material. The inclined surfaces are arranged so that they are inclined relative to a reference line. When the angle of incidence of light incident on the transmissive diffraction grating is measured with respect to the reference line and defined as an angle ?, and the angle of diffraction of diffracted light is measured with respect to the reference line and defined as an angle ?, the angle of incidence ? is smaller than a Bragg angle ? defined with respect to the inclined surfaces, and the angle of diffraction ? is greater than the Bragg angle ?.

Abstract: Large digital displays for entertainment, architectural and advertising displays have interconnected display panels with pluralities of light emitting elements. To solve calibration problems, each of the display panels stores measured luminance and chromaticity data for each of the light emitting elements of the panel. The luminance data is independent of the chromaticity data. A central controller can then perform calibration procedures so that the light emitting elements are matched across the entire display.

Abstract: In a spectroscopy module 1, a light passing hole 50 through which a light L1 advancing to a spectroscopic portion 4 passes is formed in a light detecting element 5. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the relative positional relationship between the light passing hole 50 and a light detecting portion 5a of the light detecting element 5 from deviating. Moreover, the light detecting element 5 is bonded to a front plane 2a of a substrate 2 with an optical resin adhesive 63. Thus, it is possible to reduce a stress generated onto the light detecting element 5 due to a thermal expansion difference between the light detecting element 5 and the substrate 2. Additionally, on the light detecting element 5, a first convex portion 101 is formed so as to be located at least between the light detecting portion 5a and the light passing hole 50 when viewed from a direction substantially perpendicular to the front plane 2a.

Abstract: In one general aspect, a spectroscopic apparatus is disclosed for investigating heterogeneity of a sample area. The apparatus includes an image acquisition system operative to acquire images of a plurality of sub-areas in the sample area and a sub-area selection interface operative to receive a selection designating one of the sub-areas for which an image has been obtained. A spectrometer has a field of view and is operative to acquire a spectrum of at least part of one of the sub-areas in its field of view, and a positioning mechanism is responsive to the sub-area selection interface and operative to position the field of view of the spectrometer relative to the sample area based on a received selection.

Abstract: An apparatus for optical spectrometry utilizes a simplified construction, reducing the number of independent optical elements needed while providing a sizeable dispersed spectrum. The apparatus provides a spectral intensity distribution of an input source wherein individual spectral components in the source can be measured and, in some embodiments, can be manipulated or filtered.

Abstract: Upper to lower assembly analog position sensors in a dual scanning system measure alignment offsets. A controller uses error signals from the position sensors to calculate actuator error profiles that are used in the next scan in the same direction, with different error profiles being used for forward and reverse scans. Since the alignment error profiles are repeatable for a given set of scanner conditions, the actuator controller anticipates what the error signal will be before each scanning assembly reaches a given position. An optimized error correction can be calculated based on the error profiles and actuator bandwidth without concerns regarding feedback loop speed, overshoot, and unstable control oscillations. An actuation system driven from error profiles can correct for alignment offsets by actively changing belt tensions at the offsetting drive pulleys and/or changing the position of sensor assemblies relative to the drive belt systems.

Abstract: A liquid detection device for detecting liquid at a location on a structure includes a nanoscale spectrometer-on-a chip, and a fluid-absorptive element for absorbing liquid at the location and also securing the chip to the structure. Fluid absorbed by the element is analyzed by the spectrometer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for using below deep ultra-violet (DUV) wavelength reflectometry for measuring properties of diffracting and/or scattering structures on semiconductor work-pieces is disclosed. The system can use polarized light in any incidence configuration, but one technique disclosed herein advantageously uses un-polarized light in a normal incidence configuration. The system thus provides enhanced optical measurement capabilities using below deep ultra-violet (DUV) radiation, while maintaining a small optical module that is easily integrated into other process tools. A further refinement utilizes an r-? stage to further reduce the footprint.

Abstract: A spectral characteristic measuring device includes an illuminating unit that illuminates a medium; a light dividing unit that divides reflection light from the medium into reflection light beams; a first imaging unit that includes first lenses and second lenses arranged alternately in a staggered pattern and focuses the respective reflection light beams; a diffraction unit that includes a first diffraction region and a second diffraction region and diffracts the focused reflection light beams to form diffraction images; and a light receiving unit that includes plural pixels for receiving the diffraction images. The reflection light beams focused by the first lenses enter the first diffraction region to form first diffraction images, the reflection light beams focused by the second lenses enter the second diffraction region to form second diffraction images, and the first and second diffraction images are arranged alternately on the light receiving unit in a pixel arrangement direction.

Abstract: An electromagnetic radiation detection device is described which includes a tunable dispersive optical element configured to receive electromagnetic radiation and to change the dispersion of the received electromagnetic radiation; a sensor configured to detect the dispersed electromagnetic radiation changed by the dispersive optical element; and a controller configured to: (i) selectively tune the dispersive optical element so as to adjust the dispersion of the received electromagnetic radiation; and (ii) change one or more of operating parameters of the sensor in accordance with the adjusted dispersion. In some implementations, the radiation detection device may be configured as a spectrometer to measure one or more properties of electromagnetic radiation. A method for detecting electromagnetic radiation is also disclosed.

Abstract: Optical fibers are utilized to provide high efficiency, spatially resolved coupling of light from collection optics to an imaging spectrometer. In particular, a micro lens array may be utilized to couple light from multiple spatial locations into individual optical fibers. At the opposite end of the fiber bundle, the fibers are packed tightly together to send the light into an imaging spectrograph. The light that enters this spectrograph maintains its spatial separation, for instance, along the array dimension and is spectrally dispersed, for instance, along a dimension orthogonal to the array dimension. This spatially separated, wavelength resolved light can then be recorded on a two dimensional detector such as a CCD camera.

Abstract: A spectral colorimetric apparatus for detecting a color of an image of a subject, including: an illumination optical system illuminating the subject on a detection surface; a spectral optical system including a spectral element spectrally separating the beam diffused by the subject and a light receiving element array detecting a spectral intensity distribution; and a guiding optical system for guiding a beam diffused by the subject, wherein: the detection surface is parallel to a spectral plane including a principal ray of a beam entering the spectral optical system and a principal ray of a beam spectrally separated; the principal ray of the beam enters the spectral optical system within the spectral plane obliquely to a line joining a center of the light receiving element array with a surface vertex of the spectral element; and a light receiving surface of the light receiving element array is orthogonal to the spectral plane.

Abstract: A spectrometer includes a light source to project a light beam to a target object, an optical element including a plurality of apertures through which the light beam reflected by the target object transmits, a diffraction element to form diffracted images from a plurality of light beams having transmitted through the optical element, and a light receiving element to receive the diffracted images formed by the diffraction element and including an optical shield to block a diffracted image other than a certain-order diffracted image.

Abstract: A device and method for optically examining the interior of turbid media including acts of spatially separating a plurality of wavelength bands contained in a broad-band light; separately modulating the plurality of wavelength bands; recombining the plurality of modulated wavelength bands to a beam of spectrally encoded broad-band light; illuminating a turbid medium with the beam of spectrally encoded broad-band light; detecting light emanating from the turbid medium with a detector and demodulating the detected light with a demodulator to provide spectroscopic information.

Abstract: There is provided an illumination optical system including a laser light source, an integrator element, an oscillating element being capable of guiding the laser beam emitted from the laser light source to the integrator element, and oscillating to change an incident angle of the laser beam to the integrator element, and a light collecting element for collecting the laser beam emitted from the oscillating element. Also, there are provided a light irradiation apparatus for spectrometry and a spectrometer.

Abstract: There is provided a spectrometric optical system, comprising a reflection member having a concave surface formed along a first circle, a diffraction grating having an edge part and a convex surface formed along a second circle disposed concentrically with the first circle, on which the light reflected at the concave surface of the reflection member is incident, and an input element disposed at a predetermined position to the reflection member and the diffraction grating such that a diffracted light, emitted from the diffraction grating, having a wavelength region of not less than 600 nm to not more than 1100 nm, and reflected at the concave surface, passes between the input light input to the spectrometric optical system and the edge part of the diffraction grating.

Abstract: A technique for forming a two-dimensional electronic spectrum of a sample includes illuminating a line within a portion of the sample with four laser pulses; where along the entire line the difference in the arrival times between two of the laser pulses varies as a function of the position and the difference in the arrival times between the other two pulses is constant along the entire line. A spectroscopic analysis may then be performed on the resulting pulsed output signal from the illuminated line to produce a single-shot two dimensional electronic spectroscopy.

Abstract: A Dyson imaging spectrometer includes an entry port extending in a direction X, an exit port, a diffraction grating including a set of lines on a concave support, an optical system including a lens, the lens including a plane first face and a convex second face, the convex face of the lens and the concave face of the diffraction grating being concentric, the optical system being adapted to receive an incident light beam coming from the entry port and to direct it toward the diffraction grating, to receive a beam diffracted by the diffraction grating, and to form a spectral image of the diffracted beam in a plane of the exit port, the spectral image being adapted to be spatially resolved in an extension direction X? of the image of the entry port. The diffraction grating includes a set of non-parallel and non-equidistant lines and/or the support of diffraction grating is aspherical in order to form an image of the entry port in the exit plane of improved image quality and of very low distortion.

Abstract: A terahertz electromagnetic wave generating element can include a generation layer, and a plurality of pairs of layer structures provided on opposite sides thereof. The layer structures are each provided with a first layer, a second layer on the side of the first layer opposite to the generation layer, and a first grating and a second grating, and having a grating period smaller than the wavelength of the terahertz electromagnetic wave to be used. The first and second gratings are configured so that the refractive index of a medium between the first layer and the second layer continuously varies between a first refractive index and a second refractive index. The thickness of the first and second layers and the grating period, and the grating height are determined so that a terahertz electromagnetic wave having a desired bandwidth with respect to a central wavelength of the terahertz electromagnetic wave generated by the generation layer can be generated.

Abstract: A spectrograph having multiple excitation wavelength ranges is disclosed. The spectrograph can include a wavelength switching mechanism to switch between different wavelength ranges in accordance with the wavelength of an incoming light signal. The wavelength switching mechanism can include multiple optical assemblies (or elements) corresponding to the different wavelength ranges for processing the incoming light signal. The mechanism can also include a switching component for switching the optical assemblies to align the appropriate assembly with the incoming light signal. Each optical assembly can include one or more transmission gratings to disperse the incoming light signal into multiple wavelengths within a particular wavelength range and a reflecting mirror proximate to the grating(s) to reflect the wavelengths of light back through the grating(s) to photodetectors for measuring to wavelengths to generate a light spectrum. The spectrograph can be used in Raman spectroscopy.

Abstract: A spectrometer capable of eliminating side-tail effects includes a body and an input section, a diffraction grating, an image sensor unit and a wave-guiding device, which are mounted in the body. The input section receives a first optical signal and outputs a second optical signal travelling along a first light path. The diffraction grating receives the second optical signal and separates the second optical signal into a plurality of spectrum components, including a specific spectrum component travelling along a second light path. The image sensor unit receives the specific spectrum component. The wave-guiding device includes first and second reflective surfaces opposite to each other and limits the first light path and the second light path between them to guide the second optical signal and the specific spectrum component. The first and second reflective surfaces are separated from a light receiving surface of the image sensor unit by a predetermined gap.

Abstract: There is provided is a spectrometer having a concave reflection type diffraction element, wherein, among surfaces other than a diffraction surface of the diffraction element, non-diffraction surfaces which are located outside the diffraction surface at the same side as the diffraction surface are a glossy surface, the spectrometer includes a light detection unit which is located at an imaging position of a first-order diffracted light diffracted by the diffraction element to receive the first-order diffracted light, and the light detection unit is disposed inside optical paths of light beams regularly reflected on the non-diffraction surfaces outside the diffraction surface. Accordingly, it is possible to effectively suppress a stray light reflected on the surfaces other the diffraction surface from being incident into the light detection unit and to detect the light spectrally diffracted by the diffraction surface at high accuracy.

Abstract: A spectral distribution measuring device includes an illumination unit configured to illuminate white light to a surface of an object being measured; a slit array having a plurality of slits formed in alignment at equal intervals; a linear image sensor including a light receiving face having a plurality of rectangular pixels adjacently arranged in alignment and a plurality of spectral light-irradiated areas divided in each predetermined number of neighboring pixels; a plurality of areas being measured which is set on the surface of the object being measured, and reflects the light irradiated by the illumination unit to the plurality of slits; and a diffraction unit configured to diffract and disperse reflection light which is reflected from the areas being measured and has passed through each slit, the diffraction unit being disposed such that a direction where a diffraction image expands is inclined at an angle to a direction where the light receiving face expands.

Abstract: An apparatus for optical spectrometry utilizes a simplified construction, reducing the number of independent optical elements needed while providing a sizeable dispersed spectrum. The apparatus provides a spectral intensity distribution of an input source wherein individual spectral components in the source can be measured and, in some embodiments, can be manipulated or filtered.

Abstract: Provided herein is a device for quantitative analysis of a micro-volume solution. The device comprises a base portion provided with a light-emitting fiber, a movable arm provided with a light-receiving fiber, and at least one positioning block disposed between the movable arm and the base portion so that an optical path with a constant length is formed between the light-emitting fiber and the light-receiving fiber when the positioning block is clamped by the movable arm and the base portion. The solution concentration related to the absorbance with respect to the standard optical path length may be evaluated based on the built-in database and the optical intensity of light having passed through the solution as detected by a light sensor.

Abstract: The spectrometer 1 is provided with a package 2 in which a light guiding portion 7 is provided, a spectroscopic module 3 accommodated inside the package 2, and a support member 29 arranged on an inner wall plane of the package 2 to support the spectroscopic module 3. The spectroscopic module 3 is provided with a body portion 11 for transmitting light made incident from the light guiding portion 7 and a spectroscopic portion 13 for dispersing light passed through the body portion 11 on a predetermined plane of the body portion 11, and the spectroscopic portion 13 is supported by the support member 29 on the predetermined plane in a state of being spaced away from the inner wall plane.

Abstract: The spectrometer 1 is provided with a package 2 in which a light guiding portion 7 is provided, a spectroscopic module 3 accommodated inside the package 2, and a support member 29 arranged on an inner wall plane of the package 2 to support the spectroscopic module 3. The spectroscopic module 3 is provided with a body portion 11 for transmitting light made incident from the light guiding portion 7 and a spectroscopic portion 13 for dispersing light passed through the body portion 11 on a predetermined plane of the body portion 11, and the spectroscopic portion 13 is supported by the support member 29 on the predetermined plane in a state of being spaced away from the inner wall plane.

Abstract: A spectroscopic characteristics acquisition unit includes a light emitting unit to illuminate a measurement target; a lens array including lenses to receive reflected light reflected from the measurement target; a light blocking member having a pinhole array including openings; a focusing unit to focus light coming from the pinhole array; a diffraction unit to diffract the light to different directions depending on wavelength of light received by the focusing unit; and a light receiving unit to receive the reflected light diffracted by the diffraction unit. The light receiving unit includes a spectroscopic sensor array having spectroscopy sensors including pixels. Each of the lenses constituting the lens array corresponds to one of the openings of the pinhole array. The numerical aperture NA of the lens in the arrangement direction in the lens array satisfies the formula NA>sin(?max) with respect to the maximum angle of view ?max of the focusing unit.

Abstract: A spectral colorimetric apparatus for detecting a color of an image of a subject, including: an illumination optical system illuminating the subject on a detection surface; a spectral optical system including a spectral element spectrally separating the beam diffused by the subject and a light receiving element array detecting a spectral intensity distribution; and a guiding optical system for guiding a beam diffused by the subject, wherein: the detection surface is parallel to a spectral plane including a principal ray of a beam entering the spectral optical system and a principal ray of a beam spectrally separated; the principal ray of the beam enters the spectral optical system within the spectral plane obliquely to a line joining a center of the light receiving element array with a surface vertex of the spectral element; and a light receiving surface of the light receiving element array is orthogonal to the spectral plane.

Abstract: The present application discloses a system comprising a compact curved grating (CCG) and its associated compact curved grating spectrometer (CCGS) or compact curved grating wavelength multiplexer/demultiplexer (WMDM) module and a method for making the same. The system is capable of achieving a very small (resolution vs. size) RS factor. In the invention, the location of the entrance slit and detector can be adjusted in order to have the best performance for a particular design goal. The initial groove spacing is calculated using a prescribed formula dependent on operation wavelength. The location of the grooves is calculated based on two conditions. The first one being that the path-difference between adjacent grooves should be an integral multiple of the wavelength in the medium to achieve aberration-free grating focusing at the detector or output slit (or output waveguide) even with large beam diffraction angle from the entrance slit or input slit (or input waveguide).

Abstract: A concave reflection type diffraction optical element used for a Rowland type spectrometer, in which: the Rowland type spectrometer detects wavelengths in a range including a wavelength ?1 or more and a wavelength ?2 or less (?1<?2); the concave reflection type diffraction optical element has a diffractive efficiency D(?) at a wavelength ? which shows local maximum and maximum value at a wavelength ?a satisfying, ? 1 ? ? a < 7 ? ? 1 + 3 ? ? 2 10 ; the concave reflection type diffraction optical element includes a reference surface having an anamorphic shape; and the following condition is satisfied: R>r, where R indicates a meridional line curvature radius of the reference surface and r indicates a sagittal line curvature radius thereof.

Abstract: Provided is a detection optical system that is provided with a dispersed-light detection function and that can increase the amount of detected light by enhancing the diffraction efficiency. A detection optical system is employed which includes a transmissive VPH diffraction grating that disperses fluorescence from a specimen into a plurality of wavelength bands; a rotating mechanism that rotates the VPH diffraction grating about an axial line that is perpendicular to an incident optical axis of the fluorescence from the specimen and an emission optical axis from the VPH diffraction grating; a light detection portion that detects the fluorescence from the specimen that has been dispersed by the VPH diffraction grating; and a correcting portion that corrects an incident position on the light detection portion in accordance with a displacement of the optical axis caused by the rotation of the VPH diffraction grating in synchronization with the rotating mechanism.

Abstract: Light from an optical fiber is incident on a frequency dispersion element. The frequency dispersion element disperses the incident light into light beams in different directions according to their frequencies and directs the dispersed light beams to a lens. The lens develops the incident light beams over an xy plane according to their frequencies in a strip-like form. A frequency selective element has pixels arranged in a frequency dispersion direction and brings pixels located at positions corresponding to the frequency to be selected into a reflective state. A light beam selected by the frequency selective element is emitted from an optical fiber through the same path. By changing reflection characteristics of the frequency selective element according to each pixel, optical filter characteristics can be desirably changed so as to achieve change of passband width and frequency shift.

Abstract: Based on the present invention, superior compact spectrometers may be constructed and integrated into a cellular phone, or attached to a cellular phone. Such a cellular phone may be a PDA phone, which supplies electrical power to the said spectrometer, provided with data storage, signal processing capability, and real-time display. As a combined standalone system, it allows spectroscopic measurements to be fulfilled in real-time applications in field, and results can be sent out in wireless communication to a remote station or to another cellular phone user in order to share the measurement results right away. When the system is used with a laser to function as a Raman spectrometer system, it can fulfill many daily routine tasks encountered by ordinary civilians, for example, the blood glucose monitoring for diabetes patients at home in a non-invasive manner.

Abstract: An imaging assembly for a spectrometer includes a substrate with first and second modules thereon containing respective arrays of detector elements positioned so the arrays are elongated along a first axis with a gap therebetween. A third module including a third array of detector elements is also thereon, spaced from the first axis, at least as long as the gap, and smaller than the elongation of either of the first or second arrays. Further thereon are first and second slits elongated along a second axis spaced from and generally parallel to the first axis, each being at least as long as the respective arrays. A third slit at least as long as the gap is also therein, spaced from the first axis, second axis, and third array such that the gap, third slit, and third array are generally along a third axis generally perpendicular to the first and second axis.

Abstract: Systems and methods for probing a Raman signature of a sample with a resolution exceeding the diffraction limit are described. These systems, called GASSE (Gain Saturated Stimulated Emission) and iGASSE (interferometric GASSE), are detecting a Raman signal produced in a sample located at the focal spot of a Gaussian pump pulse. Two additional pulsed laser beams (Stokes beams), a central Stokes beam having a Gaussian beam profile and another Stokes beam having an annular beam profile, are also focused to the focal spot. The spatial and temporal phases of the laser pulses are adjusted to produce destructive interference over most of the temporal width of Stokes pulses, which causes emission from the central Stokes beam to narrow well below the diffraction limit. A two-dimensional image of the sample is produced by scanning the combined beams across the sample. The system may find applications in biomedical and semiconductor technology.

Abstract: A method of determining a steam quality of a wet steam located in an interior of a steam turbine includes emitting from an optical probe a plurality of wavelengths through the wet steam, measuring with the optical probe a wet steam intensity corresponding to each of the plurality of wavelengths emitted through the wet steam, determining an intensity ratio vector by dividing the wet steam intensity by a corresponding dry steam intensity for each of the plurality of wavelengths, successively applying scaling factors to the intensity ratio vector to obtain a scaled intensity ratio vector, calculating a suitable value for each of the scaling factors to obtain a plurality of residuals, determining a minimum residual of the plurality of residuals, determining a droplet size distribution by calculating the droplet number density corresponding to the minimum residual, and determining the steam quality based on the droplet size distribution.

Abstract: There is provided is a spectrometer having a concave reflection type diffraction element, wherein, among surfaces other than a diffraction surface of the diffraction element, non-diffraction surfaces which are located outside the diffraction surface at the same side as the diffraction surface are a glossy surface, the spectrometer includes a light detection unit which is located at an imaging position of a first-order diffracted light diffracted by the diffraction element to receive the first-order diffracted light, and the light detection unit is disposed inside optical paths of light beams regularly reflected on the non-diffraction surfaces outside the diffraction surface. Accordingly, it is possible to effectively suppress a stray light reflected on the surfaces other the diffraction surface from being incident into the light detection unit and to detect the light spectrally diffracted by the diffraction surface at high accuracy.

Abstract: An apparatus for optical spectrometry utilizes a simplified construction, reducing the number of independent optical elements needed while providing a sizeable dispersed spectrum. The apparatus provides a spectral intensity distribution of an input source wherein individual spectral components in the source can be measured and, in some embodiments, can be manipulated or filtered.

Abstract: Various embodiments provide an optical system including an optical spectrometer, a first negative power mirror configured and arranged to receive radiation from a far-field object, a second positive power mirror configured and arranged to receive radiation reflected by the first negative power mirror, and a third positive power mirror configured and arranged to receive radiation reflected by the second positive mirror and to direct the radiation towards an entrance slit of the optical spectrometer.

Abstract: A system and method of determining an attribute of a biological tissue sample or a drug delivery device. A sample is illuminated with substantially monochromatic light to thereby generate Raman scattered photons. The Raman scattered photons are assessed to thereby generate a spectroscopic data set wherein said spectroscopic data set comprises at least one of: a Raman spectra and a spatially accurate wavelength resolved image. The spectroscopic data set is evaluated to determine at least one of: an attribute of a biological tissue sample and a drug delivery device. In one embodiment, the biological tissue comprises arterial tissue. In another embodiment, the drug delivery device is a drug-eluting stent. In another embodiment, Raman chemical imaging can be used to evaluate a sample and identify at least one of: the tissue, a drug, a drug delivery device, and a matrix associated with a drug delivery device.

Abstract: In the spectroscopy module 1, a light detecting element 4 is provided with a light passing opening 4b through which light made incident into a body portion 2 passes. Therefore, it is possible to prevent deviation of the relative positional relationship between the light passing opening 4b and a light detection portion 4a of the light detecting element 4. Further, an optical element 7, which guides light made incident into the body portion 2, is arranged at the light passing opening 4b. Therefore, light, which is to be made incident into the body portion 2, is not partially blocked at a light incident edge portion of the light passing opening 4b, but light, which is to be made incident into the body portion 2, can be guided securely. Therefore, according to the spectroscopy module 1, it is possible to improve the reliability.

Abstract: An optical microscanner achieves wide rotation angles utilizing a curved reflector. The optical microscanner includes a moveable mirror for receiving an incident beam and reflecting the incident beam to produce a reflected beam and a Micro Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) actuator that causes a linear displacement of the moveable mirror. The curved reflector produces an angular rotation of the reflected beam based on the linear displacement of the moveable mirror.

Abstract: A spectral characteristic acquiring apparatus is provided which includes: an area dividing part; a spectrum separating part; a light receiving part; and a calculating part, wherein the calculating part includes a transformation matrix storing part that stores a transformation matrix used for calculating the spectral characteristic corresponding to electrical signals of a first diffraction pattern group including two or more adjacent diffraction patterns, and a spectral characteristic calculating part that calculates, based on the electrical signals of the first diffraction pattern group and the corresponding transformation matrix, the spectral characteristic at the locations of the image carrying medium corresponding to the apertures of the first diffraction pattern group.

Abstract: A MEMS spectrometer includes an optical substrate having a first face and a second face. A first semiconductor substrate is attached to the first face and includes a slit for passing incident light to the optical substrate, at least one integrated reflective grating, and at least one integrated detector array. A second semiconductor substrate is attached to the second face of the optical substrate and includes at least a first integrated mirror and a second integrated mirror. The first integrated mirror is positioned to receive the incident light transmitted by the optical substrate and to provide reflected light, and the integrated reflective grating, second integrated mirror and integrated detector array are positioned so that they are optically coupled to one another by the optical substrate to process the reflected light.

Abstract: An angle sensor, system and method employ a guided-mode resonance. The angle sensor includes a guided-mode resonance (GMR) grating and a resonance processor. The resonance processor determines an angle of incidence of a signal incident on the GMR grating. The resonance processor uses a guided-mode resonance response of the GMR grating to the signal to determine the angle of incidence. The angle sensing system includes the GMR grating, the resonance processor and further includes an optical source that produces the signal. The method includes providing a GMR grating, detecting a guided-mode resonance produced in the GMR grating when subjected to an incident signal, and determining an angle of incidence of the incident signal from one or both of a number of and a spectral distance between guided-mode resonances present in a response of the GMR grating to the incident signal.

Abstract: A tunable optical filter is disclosed having an input port, a beam translator for translating input and output optical beams, an element having optical power for collimating the translated beam, a reflective wavelength dispersive element, and an output port. The beam translator can include a tiltable MEMS mirror coupled to an angle-to-offset optical element. An output port can be extended into a plurality of egress ports, each receiving a fraction of the scanned optical spectrum. A multi-path scanning optical spectrometer can be used as an optical channel monitor for monitoring performance of a wavelength selective switch, or for other tasks.

Abstract: A low-cost optics, broadband, astigmatism-corrected practical spectrometer. An off-the-shelf cylindrical lens is used to remove astigmatism over the full bandwidth, providing better than 0.1 nm spectral resolution and more than 50% through-put over a bandwidth of 400 nm centered at 800 nm. The spectrometer includes a first spherical mirror disposed along an optical path in an off-axis (tilted) orientation; a diffraction grating disposed along the optical axis in a location optically downstream from the first mirror; a second spherical mirror disposed along the optical path in an off-axis orientation in a location optically down-stream from the diffraction grating; a cylindrical optic disposed in the optical path; and a detector disposed in the optical path in a location optically downstream from the second spherical mirror.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to spectrometers and optical systems useful therein. More particularly, the invention generally relates to optical systems and systems having improved functionalities, flexibilities, and design options. For example, optical systems of the invention employ an aberration-corrected concave grating along with one or more transmissive aberration correctors.