Patent ID: 7265828

Claim:
A spectrometer comprising: a light disperser configured to receive light and to provide a plurality of spectral lines, each corresponding to a respective component of the received light; and a time delay and integrate (TDI) imager including a plurality of columns configured to be scanned along the columns to produce integrated image data for each column at respective stages of an output register; wherein the light disperser and the TDI imager are arranged so that the spectral lines are formed on columns of the TDI imager; wherein the TDI imager has a plurality of cells arranged in a plurality of rows for imaging one or more spectral lines, the cells providing an output representing accumulated charge for the plurality of spectral lines; and wherein the TDI imager comprises: at least one channel of cells, the channel including at least one cell from each of the rows, the cells within the channel grouped into a plurality of banks; at least one horizontal blooming barrier and drain coupled to a corresponding one of the one or more banks, the at least one horizontal blooming barrier and drain limiting accumulated charge in the corresponding bank such that the amount of charge accumulated and retained in at least one subsequent bank is incrementally increased.