Patent ID: 7554667

Claim:
A method for characterizing spectrometer performance, comprising: using a first test instrument, providing radiation including at least a first range of wavelengths from a continuum radiation source; associating and aligning the first test instrument with an instrument under test; using the first test instrument, simultaneously generating a first comb of transmission lines from the radiation including a first range of wavelengths using a tunable Fabry-Perot interferometer, wherein the Fabry-Perot interferometer is tuned to provide the first comb of transmission lines, and wherein the first comb of transmission lines comprises energy at a first plurality of wavelengths equally spaced from one another; after associating and aligning the first test instrument with the instrument under test, outputting the first comb of transmission lines from the first test instrument; while the first test instrument is associated and aligned with the instrument under test, simultaneously providing the first comb of transmission lines output from the first test instrument to the instrument under test; simultaneously receiving at a sensor array of the instrument under test the first comb of transmission lines; using the first test instrument, simultaneously generating a second comb of transmission lines from the radiation including a second range of wavelengths using the tunable Fabry-Perot interferometer, wherein the Fabry-Perot interferometer is tuned to provide the second comb of transmission lines, and wherein the second comb of transmission lines comprises energy at a second plurality of wavelengths equally spaced from one another, wherein the first plurality of wavelengths is different than the second plurality of wavelengths; while the first test instrument is associated and aligned with the instrument under test, simultaneously providing the second comb of transmission lines output from the first test instrument to the instrument under test; simultaneously receiving at the sensor array of the instrument under test the second comb of transmission lines; and measuring a spectral response function of the instrument under test, wherein the measuring a spectral response function of the instrument under test includes measuring a response of the instrument under test with respect to the plurality of transmission lines included in the first comb of transmission lines provided to the instrument under test simultaneously and simultaneously received at the sensor array of the instrument under test, and wherein the measuring a spectral response function of the instrument under test includes measuring a response of the instrument under test with respect to the plurality of transmission lines included in the second comb of transmission lines provided to the instrument under test simultaneously and simultaneously received at the sensor array of the instrument under test.