Patent ID: 6016199
Filing Date: 2000-01-18
Classification: G01J

Abstract:
An interferometric device for performing spectroscopic measurements based on interferometric principles, said device comprisinga plurality of interferometers, each of said interferometers consisting of two partially transparent parallel mirrors, and said interferometers being arranged in a rectangular array so that a distance between the two parallel mirrors of each of said interferometers is unique and so that a plurality of different phase relationships of reflection are present within the array for each wavelength of light (7a) to be measured;an array (9) of photodetectors positioned behind said rectangular array of the interferometers to produce output signals from the light (7a) to be measured; andmeans for transforming the output signals from the photodetector array to produce a spectrum;wherein said distances between the two mirrors of the respective interferometers are uniformly distributed within a range from a smallest distance to a largest distance, the photodetector array (9) positioned behind the rectangular array of interferometers is arranged so that at least one of the photodetectors is positioned behind each of the interferometers in order to detect the light (7a) to be measured falling perpendicularly onto each of the interferometers; andwherein the plurality of interferometers comprises two parallel plates (1,2) having two flat surfaces (3, 4) facing away from each other on different ones of the parallel plates and two facing surfaces (5,6) provided with a staircase-like series of steps (11) of a predetermined step height, the predetermined step height of each of the steps is identical on each of the plates, the predetermined step height of the steps on one of the plates (1,2) differs from the predetermined step height of the steps on the other of the plates (1,2), and the two plates (1,2) are mounted together so that the steps (11) on one plate (1,2) are oriented perpendicularly to the steps (11) on the other plate (1,2).