Patent ID: 9279724
Filing Date: 2016-03-08
CPC Classification: G01J

Claim Text:
1. An interferometric transform spectrometer system comprising: a Michelson interferometer configured to introduce a varying optical path length difference (OPD) between two arms of the Michelson interferometer so as to produce an interferogram; a detector positioned at a focal plane of the Michelson interferometer and configured to receive and sample the interferogram; and a scan controller coupled to the detector and to Michelson interferometer and configured to control the Michelson interferometer to vary the OPD in discrete steps such that the detector provides, for each of a first and second scan segment, M samples of the interferogram, wherein for the first scan segment, the M samples have a uniform or non-uniform sample spacing and the OPD has a first maximum value, and for the second scan segment, the M samples have an incrementally increasing sample spacing and the OPD has a second maximum value that is at least twice the first maximum value.