Software field widening of a Fourier-transform spectrometer using a large focal plane array

Area of Science:

• Spectroscopy
• Optical Engineering
• Detector Technology

Background:

• Fourier-transform spectrometers (FTS) traditionally have limited fields of view.
• Advancements in detector technology, particularly affordable infrared integrating cameras, offer new possibilities.
• Previous work focused on instrument line-shape correction in FTS.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate software-based field widening for Fourier-transform spectrometers.
• To leverage large multielement focal plane array detectors for enhanced performance.
• To explore the benefits of massively parallel spatial sampling in FTS.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a large multielement focal plane array detector with a Fourier-transform spectrometer.
• Emulated a large-area single-pixel detector by binning pixels with calibrated wavenumber scales.
• Employed a monochromatic source to experimentally characterize signal-to-noise ratio gain.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated increased field of view and signal-to-noise ratio through software field widening.
• Quantified signal-to-noise ratio gains achievable with the described method.
• Identified and discussed limitations of the current approach.

Conclusions:

• Software field widening is a viable technique to enhance FTS performance.
• The use of multielement detectors and pixel binning significantly improves FTS capabilities.
• This approach paves the way for more powerful and versatile Fourier-transform spectrometers.