Multi-channel up-conversion infrared spectrometer and method of detecting a spectral distribution of light

摘要

A multi-channel infrared spectrometer for detecting an infrared spectrum of light received from an object. The spectrometer comprises a wavelength converter system comprising a nonlinear material and having an input side and an output side. The wavelength converter system comprises at least a first up-conversion channel and a second up-conversion channel, and is arranged such that light traversing the wavelength converter system at different angles in the nonlinear material is imaged into different positions in an image plane. The first up- conversion channel is configurable for phase-matching infrared light in a first input wavelength range incident on the first side and light in a first output wavelength range output on the second side, and correspondingly, the second up-conversion channel is configurable for phase-matching infrared light in a second input wavelength range incident on the first side into light in a second output wavelength range output on the second side. The spectrometer further comprises a demultiplexer configured for demultiplexing light in the first up-conversion channel and light in the second up-conversion channel. The demultiplexer is located on the first side or the second side of the wavelength converter system. Finally, the spectrometer comprises a spatially resolved detector arranged in the image plane to detect light in the first output wavelength range and second output wavelength range output of the wavelength converter system.