Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
154 words
A photodiode array spectrometer for determining the spectral composition of a polychromatic beam of radiation comprising: diffraction means for receiving the polychromatic beam of radiation and for generating therefrom a diffracted beam comprising a plurality of spatially separated diffracted rays of different wavelengths; a photodiode array for receiving at least a portion of the diffracted beam, with the array comprising a plurality of photodiodes intercepting different wavelength ranges of the diffracted beam, each wavelength range comprising a plurality of diffracted rays of different wavelengths; displacement means for adjusting, in a plurality of discrete steps, the relative position of said diffracted beam and said photodiode array such that a majority of said diffracted rays that are received by said photodiode array impinge upon at least one photodiode at some relative position; and processing means coupled to said photodiode array for receiving and processing a plurality of spectral signals corresponding to said plurality of discrete steps.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
154 words
A photodiode array spectrometer for determining the spectral composition of a polychromatic beam of radiation comprising: diffraction means for receiving the polychromatic beam of radiation and for generating therefrom a diffracted beam comprising a plurality of spatially separated diffracted rays of different wavelengths; a photodiode array for receiving at least a portion of the diffracted beam, with the array comprising a plurality of photodiodes intercepting different wavelength ranges of the diffracted beam, each wavelength range comprising a plurality of diffracted rays of different wavelengths; displacement means for adjusting, in a plurality of discrete steps, the relative position of said diffracted beam and said photodiode array such that a majority of said diffracted rays that are received by said photodiode array impinge upon at least one photodiode at some relative position; and processing means coupled to said photodiode array for receiving and processing a plurality of spectral signals corresponding to said plurality of discrete steps.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
58 words
A photodiode array spectrometer according to claim 1, wherein said displacement means includes a transparent planeparallel plate for receiving said polychromatic beam of radiation and transmitting the polychromatic beam towards said diffraction means, said plate being rotatable around an axis to displace said polychromatic beam by an amount which is dependent on the angular orientation of the plate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
A photodiode array spectrometer according to claim 1, wherein said displacement means includes a control arrangement coupled to said photodiode array for controllably shifting said photodiode array in said plurality of discrete steps.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
A photodiode array spectrometer according to claim 3, wherein said control arrangement includes a piezoelectric element.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
A photodiode array spectrometer according to claim 1, wherein said displacement means includes an adjustably rotatable mirror arranged to receive said polychromatic beam and to reflect said polychromatic beam towards said diffraction means in said plurality of discrete steps.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
53 words
A photodiode array spectrometer according to claim 1 further comprising control means for controlling the displacement means to enable adjustment of relative positions of said diffracted beam and the photodiode array in said discrete steps within a range approximately equal to the distance between the centers of adjacent photodiodes of said photodiode array.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
A photodiode array spectrometer according to claim 1 further comprising control means for performing a deconvolution of a recorded spectrum in accordance with a predetermined transfer function.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
A photodiode array spectrometer according to claim 1 wherein said displacement means includes means for changing the angular orientation of said diffraction means relative to said polychromatic beam in said plurality of discrete steps.