Patent ID: 6191860
Filing Date: 2001-02-20
Classification: G01J

Abstract:
An attenuating optical shutter suitable for high speed spectral analysis of a band of optical radiation outgoing from a turbid medium, and capable of deriving N wavelength-dependent portions of said optical radiation band, said attenuating optical shutter being in the shape of a two-dimensional array and incorporating:an optical shutter body including N segments, each selectively switchable between a first substantially transparent and a second substantially opaque optical state, anda multi-zone attenuator comprising N optical wide band attenuating zones each having a different predetermined wavelength-dependent attenuation characteristic,wherein each of the shutter segments is optically inter-connected with a respective one of the N optical attenuating zones of the multi-zone attenuator, thus forming N respective cells of the attenuating optical shutter.