Patent ID: 7315371

Claim:
A multi-channel spectrum analyzer with a plane transmission diffraction grating, comprising: a. polychromatic radiation collecting and delivery elements adapted to collect polychromatic radiation simultaneously from a plurality of points of one or more sources of electromagnetic radiation and to deliver the polychromatic radiation in the form of a spatial distribution of the polychromatic radiation to a spectrum disperser; b. the spectrum disperser coupled to said polychromatic radiation collecting and delivery elements for transmitting polychromatic radiation, the spectrum disperser comprising i. an entry port, ii. a composite achromatic collimating lens for transforming divergent beams of polychromatic radiation ranging between wavelengths λ 1 and λ 2 emerging from each point of the entry port into collimated polychromatic beams, iii. a transmission diffraction grating for transforming each collimated polychromatic beam produced by the composite achromatic collimating lens into a fan of diffracted collimated monochromatic beams, each diffracted collimated monochromatic beam having a wavelength ranging between said wavelengths λ 1 and λ 2 , and iv. a composite focusing objective to transform each diffracted collimated monochromatic beam in each fan into a separate spot of radiation of a flat spectral image; c. a photodetector array placed in the plane of the flat spectral image for detecting radiation transmitted by the spectrum disperser and converting said radiation transmitted by the spectrum disperser into an electric signal.