Miniature transmissive DLP-based infrared spectrometer

Spectroscopic measurements have the potential to positively impact a wide range of research, development, monitoring and control applications. In many cases, this potential is not realized because the spectrometer cannot be brought out of the laboratory to the measurement site due to sensitivities to environmental factors, highly accurate data cannot be obtained in a timely manner, or customizing the spectrometer to a specific application is costly and precludes re-use of the device for other application once its original purpose is served. We present the development of a DLP-based spectroscopic system in the near-infrared that is low-cost, compact and rugged, provides high resolution and is highly adaptable through straightforward software control. The key elements of the design include an efficient and compact optical pathway, a high-resolution DMD controlled by a fast DLP board, and a user-friendly, feature-rich software package that facilitates system configuration and data analysis. The DMD replaces the detector array in traditional spectrometers, and is shown to provide greater functionality while eliminating the need for mechanical scanning. We demonstrate how the long, thin columns of mirrors in the DMD provide high wavelength selectivity and capture more light at each wavelength, increasing measurement SNR. Selectively activating columns of mirrors is shown to adaptively tailor the resolution and the wavelengths collected and analyzed by the system allow one device to meet the needs of many different applications and to reduce measurement times. The software interface developed for accessing the many features of the spectrometer is discussed.