Mid-infrared hyperspectral spectroscopy systems and methods therefor

摘要

MIR spectroscopy systems comprising hierarchical spectral dispersion that enables fine spectral resolution and high sensitivity spectroscopy are disclosed. Hierarchical spectral dispersion is derived by employing at least two diffractive lens arrays, located on either side of a test sample, each receiving input radiation having an input spectral range and distributing the input radiation into a plurality of output signals, each having a fraction of the spectral range of the input radiation. As a result, the signal multiplication factor of the two arrays is multiplied in a manner that mitigates the propagation of wavelength harmonics through the system. In some embodiments, an emitter array comprising a plurality of spectrally selective emitters provides the input MIR radiation to a spectroscopy system. In some embodiments, spectrally selective detectors are used to detect narrow spectral components in the radiation after they have passed through the test sample.

主权项

1. A mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy system for detecting an analyte in a test sample, the spectroscopy system comprising:
(1) a hierarchical spectral dispersion system comprising:
(a) a first plurality of lenses arranged to receive a plurality of radiation signals, each having a different first spectral range, the plurality of first spectral ranges collectively spanning at least a portion of the MIR spectrum, each lens of the first plurality thereof being operative for receiving a different radiation signal of the plurality thereof and distributing it into a plurality of radiation beams focused at a first focal field after interacting with the test sample, wherein each radiation beam has a second spectral range that is smaller than the first spectral range, and wherein the plurality of second spectral ranges is collectively equal to the first spectral range; and(b) a second plurality of lenses located at the first focal field, each lens of the second plurality thereof being operative for receiving a different radiation beam of the plurality thereof and distributing it into a plurality of radiation beamlets focused at a second focal field, wherein each radiation beamlet has a different third spectral range that is smaller than the second spectral range of its respective radiation beam, and wherein the plurality of third spectral ranges is collectively equal to the second spectral range; and (2) a first plurality of detector pixels located at the second focal field, the first plurality of detector pixels being arranged such that each detector pixel receives a different radiation beamlet of the plurality thereof;
wherein the plurality of first spectral ranges collectively spans the MIR spectrum.