Patent ID: 7423748
Filing Date: 2008-09-09
Classification: G01J,G01N

Abstract:
1. An encoder spectrograph for detecting one or more spectral components from a source, the spectrograph comprising: first optics adapted to collect and focus radiation from a source to form an image along an encoding axis, the image characteristic of the spectral components of the source; a spatial radiation modulator having at least two radiation filters located at different positions along the encoding axis, the radiation filters configured to modulate the spectral components with different modulation functions to provide an encoded beam comprising at least two encoded spectral components, the radiation filters comprising at least three substantially distinct levels of contrast, wherein the radiation filters have non-equal widths and are centered at non-equal intervals along the encoding axis of the modulator; a detector; second optics adapted to collect and direct the encoded beam onto the detector, causing the detector to provide an output corresponding to the encoded beam; and a processor for analyzing the output from the detector to determine the spectral components modulated in the encoded beam.