Computational reconfigurable imaging spectrometer.

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Computational Imaging
• Spectroscopy

Background:

• Hyperspectral imaging spectrometers are crucial for various applications but often require large, expensive components.
• Existing systems face limitations in size, weight, and power (SWaP) for deployment on small platforms.
• There is a need for compact, cost-effective hyperspectral imaging solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate a novel hyperspectral imaging spectrometer utilizing computational imaging techniques.
• To enable sensitive spectral measurements using smaller, less expensive components.
• To meet the stringent SWaP requirements of small space and air platforms.

Main Methods:

• The developed system is a computational reconfigurable imaging spectrometer (CRISP).
• It employs a spectrally coded focal-plane mask and platform motion to modulate the optical spectrum.
• This modulation allows for the simultaneous measurement of multiple spectral bins.

Main Results:

• The CRISP system enables sensitive measurements from smaller, noisier, and less-expensive components like uncooled microbolometers.
• The system successfully demodulates coded patterns to reconstruct an optical spectrum for each pixel.
• This approach overcomes limitations of traditional hyperspectral imaging systems.

Conclusions:

• The novel computational hyperspectral imaging spectrometer offers a viable solution for SWaP-constrained applications.
• This technology can significantly expand the use of hyperspectral imaging in micro-satellite, UAV, and handheld devices.
• Further development could lead to even more compact and versatile spectral imaging instruments.