Detector for a spectrometer

An optical spectrometer including a crossed dispersion system receptive of radiation for producing a two dimensional display of spectral lines characteristic of at least one atomic element, and a solid state array detector of the spectral lines, the detector comprising:

• a solid-state chip with a front surface having thereon a two dimensional array of photosensitive pixels receptive of radiation of selected spectral lines and proximate background radiation, the pixels being arranged in a plurality of sub-arrays with each sub-array consisting of at least one of the pixels and being positioned at a projection location on the front surface such as to be receptive of at least one of the selected spectral lines and the proximate background radiation, each sub-array having an area on the surface only at a corresponding projection location of the selected spectral line and the proximate background radiation;
• and
• readout means operatively connected to the pixels for producing readout signals correlating with intensities of the selected spectral lines, the readout means including a plurality of electronic components formed in the chip among the sub-arrays.

An optical spectrometer according to claim 18 wherein the solid state array detector and the solid state array second detector are configured substantially the same.

A solid state array detector useful in an optical spectrometer of the type that includes a crossed dispersion system receptive of radiation for producing a two dimensional display of spectral lines characteristic of at least one atomic element, comprising:

• a solid-state chip with a front surface having thereon a two dimensional array of photosensitive pixels receptive of radiation of selected spectral lines, the pixels being arranged in a plurality of sub-arrays with each sub-array consisting of at least one of the pixels and being positioned at a projection location on the front surface such as to be receptive of at least one of the selected spectral lines, each sub-array having an area on the surface only at a corresponding projection location of the selected spectral line;
• and
• readout means operatively connected to the pixels for producing readout signals correlating with intensities of the selected spectral lines, the readout means including a plurality of electronic components formed in the chip among the sub-arrays.