Mid-infrared hyperspectral spectroscopy systems and methods therefor

A hyperspectral spectroscopy system comprising:

• a hierarchical spectral dispersion system that is dimensioned and arranged to distribute the spectral components of a first plurality of radiation signals into a plurality of radiation beamlets, the first plurality of radiation signals collectively spanning a first spectral range that is at least a portion of the mid-infrared (MIR) spectrum, and each radiation beamlet including a different spectral component included in the first spectral range such that the plurality of spectral components collectively spans the first spectral range, each spectral component having a second spectral range that is smaller than the first spectral range;
• and
• a plurality of detectors, each detector including a plurality of detector pixels, and each detector pixel being spectrally selective such that it detects only one spectral component of the plurality thereof;
• wherein the hierarchical spectral dispersion system and the plurality of detectors are arranged such that each radiation beamlet of the plurality thereof is directed to the detector pixel that is spectrally selective for its respective spectral component.

A method for analyzing a test sample, the method comprising:

• distributing each of a first plurality of radiation signals into a first plurality of radiation beams, each radiation signal being characterized by a different first spectral range such that the plurality of first spectral ranges collectively spans at least a portion of the MIR spectrum;
• focusing each radiation beam of the first plurality thereof at a first focal field such that the first plurality of radiation beams interacts with the test sample to give rise to a second plurality of radiation beams whose spectral content is based on the chemical composition of the test sample, wherein each radiation beam of the second plurality thereof has a different second spectral range that is smaller than the first spectral range of its respective radiation signal, and wherein each plurality of second spectral ranges collectively spans the first spectral range of its respective radiation signal;
• distributing each radiation beam of the second plurality thereof into a plurality of radiation beamlets that are focused at a second focal field, each radiation beamlet having a spectral component characterized by a different third spectral range that is smaller than the second spectral range of its respective radiation beam of the second plurality thereof, and wherein each plurality of third spectral ranges collectively spans the second spectral range of its respective radiation beam of the second plurality thereof;
• detecting the plurality of radiation beamlets at a plurality of detectors located at the second focal field, wherein each detector provides an output signal based on respective radiation beamlet;
• and
• detecting at least one analyte in the test sample based on the plurality of output signals.