Method and system design for spectral imaging based on dual micro-lens array field-of-view segmentation

Area of Science:

• Optical Engineering
• Spectroscopy
• Imaging Technology

Background:

• Integral Field Imaging Spectrometers (IFIS) face limitations in spectral energy transmittance due to image segmentation and sampling methods.
• Traditional IFIS designs often suffer from reduced light throughput and spectral bending, impacting data quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and evaluate a novel Dual Micro-lens Array Imaging Spectrometer (DMAIS) to overcome the limitations of IFIS.
• To enhance spectral energy transmittance and minimize spectral bending in imaging spectrometers.

Main Methods:

• Development of a DMAIS system featuring a projection lens (PL), a segmentation collimation module (SCM) with a dual micro-lens array, and a telecentric lens (TL).
• Implementation of a lens array focusing approach within the SCM, replacing traditional aperture sampling.
• Utilizing ZEMAX optical simulation software to model and compare DMAIS performance against IFIS.

Main Results:

• DMAIS demonstrated a 109.2% increase in energy transmittance compared to IFIS.
• DMAIS achieved a 32.9% reduction in spectral bending relative to IFIS.
• The dual micro-lens array approach in the SCM is identified as the key component for performance enhancement.

Conclusions:

• The proposed DMAIS design offers a significant advancement in imaging spectrometry by substantially improving energy transmittance.
• DMAIS effectively mitigates spectral bending, leading to higher quality spectral data.
• This new spectrometer design holds promise for applications requiring high throughput and spectral accuracy.