A system and method for analyzing a sample using Raman spectral light includes a light source, a light detector, a narrow band pass filter and an analyzer. Within the system, excitation light is directed to interrogate the sample. The narrow band pass filter is positioned to receive Raman scattered light produced as a result of the interrogation. The light detector is positioned to receive the Raman scattered light that has passed through the at least one narrow band pass filter. The analyzer contains stored instructions that when executed cause the processor to a) control the light source; and b) process signals produced by the light detector to analyze the sample material, the signals representative of the intensity of the Raman scattered light received by the at least one light detector corresponding to one or more wavenumbers in a high wavenumber region of a Raman signal.

An optical assembly is disclosed including two laterally variable bandpass optical filters stacked at a fixed distance from each other, so that the upstream filter functions as a spatial filter for the downstream filter. The lateral displacement may cause a suppression of the Oblique beam when transmission passbands at impinging locations of the oblique beam onto the upstream and downstream filters do not overlap. A photodetector array may be disposed downstream of the downstream filter. The optical assembly may be coupled via a variety of optical conduits or optical fibers for spectroscopic measurements of a flowing sample.

A spectrometer that includes: a first diffraction grating configured to spectroscopically process provided light; a first detection unit configured to condense light spectroscopically processed by the first diffraction grating and to output an electrical signal corresponding to condensed light; a second diffraction grating configured to spectroscopically process 0.sup.th order light provided by the first diffraction grating; and a second detection unit configured to condense light spectroscopically processed by the second diffraction grating and to output an electrical signal corresponding to condensed light.

A spectroscope includes a light source, at least one static optical element for manipulating or structuring light, at least two adaptive optical elements and at least one detector. The at least two adaptive optical elements are configured to partition an optical function of spectral sorting from at least one of the following optical function: routing, attenuation, and/or encoding. The light source, the at least one static optical element, and the at least two adaptive optical elements are configured to direct light from the light source into first and second distinct light channels, the first light channel containing a sample to be analyzed.

An optical filter includes a filter array including filters two-dimensionally arrayed and a band-pass filter. The filters includes first and second filters. A transmission spectrum of each of the first and second filters has local maximum values of transmittance at three or more wavelengths included in a first wavelength region. The band-pass filter passes light in a second wavelength region including two or more wavelengths of the three or more wavelengths and not including one or more wavelengths of the three or more wavelengths. The filter array and the band-pass filter are disposed so that (a) the band-pass filter is located on an optical path of light that passes through the first and second filters or (b) the first and second filters are located on an optical path of light that passes through the band-pass filter.

Provided are a filter array, a spectral detector including the filter array, and a spectrometer employing the spectral detector. The filter array may have a multi-array structure including a plurality of filter arrays. The filter array may include a first filter array having a first structure in which a plurality of first filters with different transmittance spectrums are arranged, and a second filter array having a second structure in which a plurality of second filters with different transmittance spectrums are arranged, the second filter array being arranged to at least partially overlap the first filter array at a first position relative to the first filter array so that the multi-arrangement type filter array has a first set of absorbance characteristics. The second filter array may be configurable to be arranged to at least partially overlap the first filter array at a second position relative to the first filter array so that the multi-arrangement type filter array has a second set of absorbance characteristics different from the first set of absorbance characteristics.

A combined imaging and spectral measurement line-scan imaging sensor includes a plurality of pixel lines. Each pixel line includes a plurality of pixels. At least one of the pixel lines is an imaging line designated for acquiring at least one image of an object and other of the pixel lines are spectral measurement lines designated for acquiring a spectral measurement of light received from the object. Each imaging line is associated with a single respective spectral response within a spectral range. Each pixel in each spectral measurement line is associated with a respective spectral band. Each of at least three pixels in each of the spectral measurement lines is respectively associated with different respective pixel spectral bands. The different respective pixel spectral bands are non-identical to any one of the single spectral responses associated with each of the imaging spectral lines.

In one embodiment, an infrared (IR) imaging system for determining a concentration of a target species in an object is disclosed. The imaging system can include an optical system including an optical focal plane array (FPA) unit. The optical system can have components defining at least two optical channels thereof, said at least two optical channels being spatially and spectrally different from one another. Each of the at least two optical channels can be positioned to transfer IR radiation incident on the optical system towards the optical FPA. The system can include a processing unit containing a processor that can be configured to acquire multispectral optical data representing said target species from the IR radiation received at the optical FPA. Said optical system and said processing unit can be contained together in a data acquisition and processing module configured to be worn or carried by a person.

A spectroscope includes a light source, at least one static optical element for manipulating or structuring light, at least two adaptive optical elements and at least one detector. The at least two adaptive optical elements are configured to partition an optical function of spectral sorting from at least one of the following optical function: routing, attenuation, and/or encoding. The light source, the at least one static optical element, and the at least two adaptive optical elements are configured to direct light from the light source into first and second distinct light channels, the first light channel containing a sample to be analyzed.

In one embodiment, an infrared (IR) imaging system for determining a concentration of a target species in an object is disclosed. The imaging system can include an optical system including an optical focal plane array (FPA) unit. The optical system can have components defining at least two optical channels thereof, said at least two optical channels being spatially and spectrally different from one another. Each of the at least two optical channels can be positioned to transfer IR radiation incident on the optical system towards the optical FPA. The system can include a processing unit containing a processor that can be configured to acquire multispectral optical data representing said target species from the IR radiation received at the optical FPA. Said optical system and said processing unit can be contained together in a data acquisition and processing module configured to be worn or carried by a person.