Patent ID: 6816258
Filing Date: 2004-11-09
Classification: G01J

Abstract:
A dispersive spectrometer comprising:a slit; a primary lens to image a scene onto the slit, wherein light from a thin portion of the scene passes through the slit; a collimating lens optically coupled to the slit to receive light from the thin portion of the scene; a first grism optically coupled to the collimating lens to receive light from the thin portion of the scene, the first grism including a first diffractive element integral to a surface of the grism that disperses light from the thin portion of the scene in a first direction that is perpendicular to the major dimension of the thin portion of the scene, wherein light from the thin portion of the scene has an angle of incidence upon the first diffractive element that is greater than one-third of the critical angle at the surface of the grism; and a focusing lens optically coupled to the first grism to receive light from the thin portion of the scene, wherein the focusing lens defines a focal plane onto which light from the thin portion of the scene is imaged.