Patent ID: 7330614

Claim:
An optical apparatus, comprising: an optical element having a set of diffractive elements and a sample chamber; and at least one photodetector, wherein: the diffractive elements of the set are collectively arranged so as to comprise spectral and spatial transformation information; the diffractive elements of the set are collectively arranged so as to transform a portion of an input optical signal into an output optical signal according to the spectral and spatial transformation information, the input optical signal propagating within the optical element from an input optical port, the output optical signal propagating within the optical element to an optical output region of the optical element; the spectral and spatial transformation information varies among the diffractive elements of the set so that an optical spectrum of the output optical signal varies with spatial position at the optical output region of the optical element; at least one photodetector is positioned for receiving at least a portion of the output optical signal from at least a portion of the optical output region; and at least a portion of the sample chamber is positioned at the input optical port so that at least a portion of light emitted from the sample chamber is transmitted as the input optical signal into the optical element at the input optical port.