OBTAINING SPECTRAL INFORMATION FROM A MOVING OBJECT

摘要

An optical device includes a waveplate sandwiched between first and second polarizers and is arranged to receive light emanating from an object or object image that is in motion relative to the optical device. A detector array includes one or more detector elements and is optically coupled to receive light from the second polarizer. Each detector element of the detector array provides an electrical output signal that varies according to intensity of the light received from the second polarizer. The intensity of the light is a function of relative motion of the object or the object image and the optical device and contains spectral information about an object point of the object.

主权项

1. An optical device, comprising:
a first polarizer configured to receive light from an object or an image of the object, the object or object image moving relative to the optical device along a trajectory, the first polarizer arranged to polarize the light along a first polarization direction; a waveplate optically coupled to receive light from the first polarizer, the waveplate having an optical retardance that varies as a function of position along the trajectory and having a slow axis at a first angle to the first polarization direction; and a second polarizer optically coupled to receive light from the waveplate, the second polarizer configured to polarize light received from the waveplate along a second polarization direction; and a detector array comprising one or more detector elements, the detector array optically coupled to receive light from the second polarizer, each detector element of the detector array configured to provide an electrical output signal that varies according to intensity of the light received from the second polarizer, the intensity of the light being a function of the relative motion of the object or the object image and the optical device.