Variable wavelength light filter and sensor system

Details Variable wavelength light filter and sensor system Variable wavelength light filter and sensor system

1990-02-14

1992-09-01

Ben, Loha

Optical: systems and elements

Absorption filter

359890, 359722, 359359, 250226, 356320, G02B 520

Patent

active

051444984

ABSTRACT:
Light filter apparatus for receiving a light beam having wavelengths in a selected band and for dispersing the light into a plurality of rays, with each ray having a different wavelength for which the intensity peaks. The peak wavelength varies approximately continuously with displacement of spatial position in a chosen direction along the filter's light-receiving plane. In one embodiment, the filter is a modified etalon structure having at least two reflecting surfaces whose separation distance is not constant but increases or decreases monotonically with distance in a chosen direction in a light-receiving plane of the etalon. Each of these two reflecting surfaces may be planar or non-planar but continuous, or may have a step or staircase configuration. This structure may operate using transmitted light or reflected light. In a second embodiment, an edge filter combination is used to produce a narrow band of transmitted or reflected light having a variable central wavelength that varies with position along the chosen direction. In a third embodiment, a multi-layer thin film structure is used to provide a narrow band of transmitted or reflected light having a variable central wavelength. The filter may be combined with a one-dimensional or two-dimensional array of photosensor elements, which array may be linear, circular or generally curvilinear, one such element receiving a group of adjacent light rays of similar peak wavelength, to provide a plurality of different wavelength readings on an incident light beam for spectrophotometry or colorimetry analysis.

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