Patent ID: 6693745
Filing Date: 2004-02-17
Classification: G01J,G02B

Abstract:
A dispersing apparatus for dispersing a polychromatic light beam into a plurality of narrow band output light beams, the apparatus comprising:a planar input face which refracts said polychromatic light beam at angles which vary with temperature; a diffracting element separated a distance from said planar input face, said refracted beam propagating over said distance to said diffracting element, which receives said refracted beam along an optical path and divides said refracted beam into said narrow band output beams, said diffracting element directing said output beams along respective beam paths, each of which is at an angle relative to the refracted beam path and relative to the other output beam paths; and an output face which refracts said output light beams, said diffracting element compensating for said angular variations at said input face such that said output light beams exit the dispersing apparatus refracted at respective angles which are substantially independent of said angular variations.