Optical integrated chip and high resolution low-cost integrated handheld miniature spectrometer

A high resolution low-cost integrated handheld miniature spectrometer system, configured to detect an object, comprising:

• a shell comprising a main body portion and a handle grip portion extending from the main body portion;
• a light source disposed in the main body portion of the shell and configured to emit an optical signal;
• a splitter disposed in the main body portion of the shell and coupled to the light source, the splitter configured to split the optical signal into a first and a second portions;
• a reference arm disposed in the main body portion of the shell and coupled to the splitter to receive the first portion of the optical signal to generate a reference optical signal;
• a sample arm disposed in the main body portion of the shell and coupled to the splitter to receive the second portion of the optical signal and guides the second portion of the optical signal to the object, wherein the second portion of the optical signal is reflected by the objected to generate a sample optical signal;
• a spectrometer disposed in the main body portion of the shell and coupled to the splitter to receive an interference optical signal resulting from a combination of the reference optical signal and the sample optical signal, wherein the spectrometer comprises an optical integrated chip integrated with a silicon substrate, and the optical integrated chip comprises:
• a wavelength multiplexer/demultiplexer having a first optical coupling region and at least one second optical coupling region opposite to each other;
• a first light guiding element optically coupled to the wavelength multiplexer/demultiplexer through the first optical coupling region thereof;
• and
• a plurality of second light guiding elements optically coupled to the wavelength multiplexer/demultiplexer through the second optical coupling region thereof;
• at least one optical sensor disposed in the main body portion of the shell and configured to receive and convert the interference optical signal processed by the optical integrated chip into an electrical signal;
• and
• a processor coupled to the optical sensor and configured to receive the electrical signal, such that the processor generates an image based on the electrical signal.