# US 12,111,209 B2 · Compact diffraction limited near infrared (NIR) spectrometers and related detectors

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- Number: US 12,111,209 B2
- Document ID: US12111209B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/296,282
- Filed: 2019-11-22
- Published: 2022-01-20
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2018-11-29
- Assignees: Leica Microsystems Nc, Inc.
- Applicants: Leica Microsystems NC, Inc.
- Inventors: Robert H. Hart; Peter Strobel
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12111209B2

## CPC

- G01J 3/0291: {Housings; Spectrometer accessories; Spatial arrangement of elements, e.g. folded path arrangements}
- A61B 3/102: {for optical coherence tomography [OCT]}
- G01B 9/02044: {Imaging in the frequency domain, e.g. by using a spectrometer}
- G01B 9/02091: Tomographic interferometers, e.g. based on optical coherence
- G01J 3/0202: {Mechanical elements; Supports for optical elements}
- G01J 3/0208: {using focussing or collimating elements, e.g. lenses or mirrors; performing aberration correction}
- G01J 3/0221: {the fibers defining an entry slit}
- G01J 3/0256: {Compact construction}
- G01J 3/0272: {Handheld}
- G01J 3/0286: {Constructional arrangements for compensating for fluctuations caused by temperature, humidity or pressure, or using cooling or temperature stabilization of parts of the device; Controlling the atmosphere inside a spectrometer, e.g. vacuum}
- G01J 3/1804: {Plane gratings}
- G01J 3/2803: {using photoelectric array detector}
- G01J 3/45: Interferometric spectrometry
- G02B 9/10: one + and one - component
- G02B 27/30: Collimators
- G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N)
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS

## Abstract

Spectrometer systems are provided including a detector array; an imaging lens assembly coupled to the detector array, the imaging lens assembly including a first element of positive optical power followed by a second element of negative optical power and a positive optical power element split into two opposing identical singlets; a dispersive element coupled to the imaging lens assembly; and a fixed focus collimator assembly coupled to the dispersive element. Related imaging lens assemblies and collimator assemblies are also provided.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A spectrometer system comprising:
a detector array;
an imaging lens assembly coupled to the detector array, the imaging lens assembly including a first element of positive optical power followed by a second element of negative optical power and a positive optical power element split into two opposing identical singlets;
a dispersive element coupled to the imaging lens assembly; and
a fixed focus collimator assembly coupled to the dispersive element, wherein the dispersive element and the fixed focus collimator are integrated together as a rigid piece such that the rigid piece is non-adjustable in all dimensions, wherein the dispersive element is positioned between a positive element of the fixed focus collimator assembly and the first element of positive optical power of the imaging lens assembly, and wherein a fiber of the collimator is fixed and non-adjustable.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The spectrometer system of claim 1, further comprising a cell housing and wherein the imaging lens assembly is positioned in the cell housing.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The spectrometer system of claim 1, further comprising a spectrometer housing made of material having a low thermal coefficient of expansion, wherein the imaging lens assembly is positioned in the spectrometer housing.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The spectrometer system of claim 1, wherein the second element of negative optical power also functions as a field stop.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The spectrometer system of claim 1:
wherein the dispersive element is a diffraction grating;
wherein the fixed focus collimator assembly comprises a single piece of material having a low thermal coefficient of expansion; and
wherein the single piece of material provides both a grating mounting feature for the diffraction grating and a collimating lens mounting feature for a collimating lens assembly.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The spectrometer system of claim 5, wherein the collimating lens assembly includes a first negative optical power element followed by a second positive optical power element providing fixed focus collimated light from an optical radiation input fiber to the diffraction grating held at a fixed angle relative to the collimated light.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The spectrometer system of claim 5, wherein the single piece of material further comprises a fixed mounting feature for an input fiber; and wherein the fixed focus collimator assembly is fixed to a spectrometer housing, the spectrometer housing being machined from a single piece of a same low thermal coefficient of expansion material as the fixed focus collimator assembly.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The spectrometer system of claim 5, wherein wavelength dispersed optical radiation is normal incident on the detector array with an overall optical path length of less than 225 mm.

### Claim 9 (depends on 5)

The spectrometer system of claim 5, wherein the spectrometer system comprises a compact diffraction limited near infrared (NIR) spectrometer.

### Claim 10 (depends on 5)

The spectrometer system of claim 5, wherein the spectrometer system has a 10 um detector pixel width and short 223 mm optical path length.