Patent ID: 6603549
Filing Date: 2003-08-05
Classification: G01J

Abstract:
A method for using a spectrometer defining a slit function to make bandwidth measurements of a light source having bandwidths which are not large compared to corresponding bandwidths of the spectrometer slit function, said method comprising the steps of:A) determining the spectrometer slit function; B) storing a digital representation of the slit function in a digital computer processor; C) using a spectrometer to make a spectral measurement of said light source to determine a measured spectrum representing a convolution of a true source spectrum and said slit function; D) determining at least one bandwidth of said measured spectrum to obtain at least one measured bandwidth; E) using said computer processor to perform a convolution of said measured spectrum and said slit function to produce a doubly convolved spectrum representing the true source spectrum and two split functions, and determining at least one bandwidth of said doubly convolved spectrum; F) estimating at least one bandwidth value of said light source using said at least one bandwidth determined from said doubly convolved spectrum and said at least one measured bandwidth determined from said measured spectrum.