Development of image mappers for hyperspectral biomedical imaging applications

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Biomedical Imaging Technology
• Materials Science and Engineering

Background:

• Snapshot hyperspectral imaging systems require advanced optical components for efficient data acquisition.
• Existing methods for fabricating large-format image mappers face limitations in precision and scalability.
• Image mapping spectrometers (IMS) offer a compact solution for capturing spectral information across an image.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a new design and fabrication method for large-format (>100 mirror facets) image mappers.
• To develop a 250-facet image mapper for a compact IMS with 25 multiple-tilt angles.
• To demonstrate the feasibility of precision diamond raster fly cutting for fabricating complex optical surfaces.

Main Methods:

• Design of a 250-facet image mapper with 25 multiple-tilt angles, integrating 25 subpupils in a 5x5 matrix.
• Fabrication using precision diamond raster fly cutting with surface-shaped tools.
• Characterization of individual mirror facets for tilt errors and surface roughness.

Main Results:

• Successful fabrication of a 250-facet image mapper.
• Achieved minimal edge eating on mirror facets.
• Demonstrated tilt errors of less than 1 mrad and an average surface roughness of 5.4 nm.

Conclusions:

• The presented design and fabrication method is effective for creating large-format image mappers.
• The developed image mapper is suitable for compact hyperspectral biomedical imaging systems.
• Precision diamond fly cutting is a viable technique for high-accuracy optical component manufacturing.