Patent ID: 8274653

Claim:
A spectroscope comprising: a beam deflector for deflecting an incident light beam, the beam deflector comprising: an electro-optic crystal having an electro-optic effect, and paired electrodes used to apply an electric field inside the electro-optic crystal; spectroscopic means for dispersing the deflected light beam output by the beam deflector; and wavelength selection means for selecting light having an arbitrary wavelength from the light dispersed by the spectroscopic means; wherein the beam deflector outputs the incident light beam at a deflection angle relative to the optical axis of the incident light beam that varies between: a first deflection angle in a first voltage applied state in which a first voltage is applied to the paired electrodes for detection of the light having the shortest wavelength in a desired wavelength range for detection, and a second deflection angle in a second voltage applied state in which a second voltage is applied to the paired electrodes for detection of the light having the longest wavelength in the desired wavelength range for detection, the second deflection angle being different than the first deflection angle; wherein the beam deflector and the spectroscopic means are separated by a distance equivalent to a predetermined optical path length so that the deflected light beam output from the beam deflector is incident at different positions on the stereoscopic means at the first voltage applied state and the second voltage applied state; and wherein the wavelength selection means is positioned where the optical axis of the shortest wavelength light output from the spectroscopic means at the first voltage applied state intersects the optical axis of the longest wavelength light output from the spectroscopic means at the second voltage applied state.