Abstract
Disclosed herein are a detector array, a spectrometer system including the detector array and a method of using of the spectrometer system. The detector array includes a substrate; and a plurality of detector pixels applied to a surface of the substrate, where each detector pixel has a sensor region which is designated for receiving a partition of incident light, where each detector pixel is designated for generating a sensor signal depending on an intensity of the partition of the incident light received by the sensor region of the detector pixel, where at least two adjacent detector pixels share a single connection to a common electric potential, and where the sensor regions of at least two of the detector pixels differ with respect to each other by an area of the corresponding sensor region.
Claims
1. A detector array comprising a substrate; and a plurality of detector pixels applied to a surface of the substrate, wherein each detector pixel has a sensor region which is designated for receiving a partition of incident light, wherein each detector pixel is designated for generating a sensor signal depending on an intensity of the partition of the incident light received by the sensor region of the detector pixel, wherein at least two adjacent detector pixels share a single connection to a common electric potential, and wherein the sensor regions of at least two of the detector pixels differ with respect to each other by an area of the corresponding sensor region.
2. The detector array according to claim 1, wherein the detector pixels are arranged on the substrate in a single line, thereby specifying a line of orientation of an arrangement of the detector pixels within the detector array.
3. The detector array according to claim 2, wherein the area of each sensor region is aligned in a first direction and in a second direction, wherein the first direction is parallel to the line of orientation of the arrangement of the detector pixels within the detector array, and wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the line of orientation of the arrangement of the detector pixels within the detector array.
4. The detector array according to claim 3, wherein the sensor regions of the at least two of the detector pixels differ with respect to each other by an extension in at least one of the first direction and the second direction.
5. The detector array according to claim 1, wherein the at least two of the detector pixels further differ with respect to each other by at least one of: a distance between the detector pixels, and a density of the detector pixels on a respective section of the substrate.
6. The detector array according to claim 1, wherein the common electric potential interconnects the electrodes of the detector pixels having the same polarity which are located on the same surface of the detector array.
7. The detector array according to claim 1 wherein a first number and a second number of the detector pixels are individually interconnected by a first common electric potential and a second common electric potential.
8. The detector array according to claim 1, wherein the sensor region comprises a photosensitive material.
9. The detector array according claim 8, wherein the photosensitive material is a photoconductive material, wherein the area of the detector pixels defines an electrical resistivity of the detector pixels, wherein the areas of the at least two of the detector pixels are adjusted to align the electrical resistivity of the sensor regions.
10. The detector array according to claim 9, wherein the areas of the at least two of the detector pixels are adjusted to ensure the same electrical resistivity within the at least two of the detector pixels.
11. A spectrometer system, comprising a wavelength selective filter which is designated for separating incident light into a spectrum comprising a plurality of partitions of the incident light; a detector array according to claim 1; and an evaluation unit designated for determining information related to a spectrum by evaluating the sensor signals provided by the detector array.
12. The spectrometer system according to claim 11, wherein the area of at least one of the detector pixels is adjusted to a spectral property of the partition of the incident light which impinges on the corresponding sensor region of the detector pixel after passing the wavelength selective filter.
13. The spectrometer system according to claim 12, wherein the spectral property is selected from at least one of the group consisting of: a width of a peak within the spectrum of the incident light, a bandwidth of the wavelength selective filter, a variation of an emission spectrum of an illumination source illuminating an object generating the spectrum.
14. The spectrometer system according to claim 13, wherein the area of the at least one of the detector pixels is adjusted to a variation of the bandwidth of the incident light after passing the wavelength selective filter.
15. The system according to claim 13, wherein the area of the at least one of the detector pixels is adjusted to the peak width to ensure that the sensor signal being provided by the at least one of the detector pixels corresponds to an intensity of the peak.
16. The spectrometer system according to claim 15, wherein the evaluation unit is designated for determining a relationship between an intensity of two different peaks by evaluating the sensor signals of the two detector pixels.
17. A method of using the spectrometer system according to claim 1, for a purpose selected from the group consisting of: an infrared detection application; a spectroscopy application; an exhaust gas monitoring application; a combustion process monitoring application; a pollution monitoring application; an industrial process monitoring application; a mixing or blending process monitoring; a chemical process monitoring application; a food processing process monitoring application; a food preparation process monitoring; a water quality monitoring application; an air quality monitoring application; a quality control application; a temperature control application; a motion control application; an exhaust control application; a gas sensing application; a gas analytics application; a motion sensing application; a chemical sensing application; a mobile application; a medical application; a mobile spectroscopy application; a food analysis application; an agricultural application such as characterization of soil, silage, feed, crop or produce, monitoring plant health; and a plastics identification and/or recycling application.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0114] Further optional details and features of the invention are evident from the description of preferred exemplary embodiments which follows in conjunction with the dependent claims. In this context, the particular features may be implemented alone or with features in combination. The invention is not restricted to the exemplary embodiments. The exemplary embodiments are shown schematically in the figures. Identical reference numerals in the individual figures refer to identical elements or elements with identical function, or elements which correspond to one another with regard to their functions.
[0115] Specifically, in the figures:
[0116] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of a spectrometer system comprising a detector array according to the present invention;
[0117] FIG. 2 shows a front view of a detector array according to the state of the art;
[0118] FIGS. 3 and 4 show front views of preferred exemplary embodiments of the detector array according to the present invention; and
[0119] FIGS. 5 and 6 show front views of the preferred exemplary embodiments of the detector array according to the present invention additionally illustrating different embodiments for power supply.
EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0120] FIG. 1 illustrates, in a highly schematic fashion, an exemplary embodiment of a spectrometer system 110 which comprises a detector array 112 according to the present invention. As generally used, the spectrometer system 110 is designated for recording a signal intensity of incident light 114 with respect to a corresponding wavelength or a wavelength interval of the incident light 114 over a range of wavelengths which is denoted as a “spectrum” or as a partition thereof. According to the present invention, the spectrometer system 110 may, especially, be adapted for recording a spectrum in the infrared (IR) spectral region, preferably, in at least one of the near-infrared (NIR) and the mid-infrared (MidIR) spectral ranges, especially, wherein the incident light may have a wavelength of 1 μm to 5 μm, preferably of 1 μm to 3 μm, and can, thus, be applicable for investigation or monitoring purposes, in particular in the IR spectral region. Herein, the incident light 114 may be generated and/or reflected by an object 116, which may be a living object and a non-living object, such as comprising one or more articles and/or one or more parts of an article, wherein the at least one article or the at least one part thereof may comprise at least one component which can provide a spectrum which may be suitable for investigations in the IR, especially in the NIR spectral region.
[0121] The exemplary spectrometer system 110 as schematically depicted in FIG. 1 comprises a linearly variable filter 118 as a preferred example of a wavelength selective filter, wherein the linearly variable filter 118 is designated for separating the incident light 114 into a spectrum comprising a plurality of wavelength-resolved partitions of the incident light 114, the detector array 112 which is designed for determining respective intensities of received wavelength signals, and an optical element 120 which is designated for the receiving incident light 114 from the object 116 and transferring the incident light 114 to the linearly variable filter 118. In general, at least one transfer device (not depicted here), preferably a refractive lens, may be used as the optical element 120.
[0122] As schematically depicted in FIG. 1, the optical element 120 may, alternatively or in addition, comprise an optical concentrator device 122, wherein the optical concentrator device 122 may be operated in reverse direction 124. Herein, the inversely-operated optical concentrator device 122 may comprise a non-conical shape 126, in particular a parabolic shape 128. However, other kinds of shapes, specifically a conical shape or a different kind of non-conical shape 126, such as an elliptical shape, may also be feasible. As illustrated here, the inversely-operated optical concentrator device 124 comprises an input 130, an optically guiding structure 132 and an output 134. Consequently, the incident light 114, which may be emitted or reflected by the object 116 or may have passed through the object 116, enters the inversely-operated optical concentrator device 122 at the input 130 which is designed for receiving the incident light 114. Thereafter, the incident light 114 captured by the input 130 passes through the optically guiding structure 132 which is, preferably, designed for spreading out the incident light 114. Finally, the incident light 114 which has been spread out in this manner is emitted by the output 134 which is being designated for this purpose. Thus, an angular spread of light beams which are emitted at the output 134 can, simultaneously, be reduced compared to the angular spread of the incident light 114. As a result, the inversely-operated optical concentrator device 122 allows modifying the incident light 114 as provided by the object 116 in a manner that the light which is emitted at the output 134 of the inversely-operated optical concentrator device 124 exhibits a reduced angular spread.
[0123] Consequently, a predominant share of the light beams provided by the output 134 of the inversely-operated optical concentrator device 122 impinges the linearly variable filter 118 in a parallel manner, especially, normal to a receiving surface 136 of the linearly variable filter 118 in a perpendicular manner. As used in this exemplary embodiment, the linearly variable filter 118 is or comprises an optical filter having a plurality of interference filters which are, preferably, provided in a continuous arrangement of interference filters. Herein, each of the interference filters may form a bandpass with a variable center wavelength for each spatial position 138 on the receiving surface 136 of the linearly variable filter 118 in a manner that the variable center wavelength may be a linear function of the spatial position 138.
[0124] As exemplary shown in FIG. 1, the linearly variable filter 118 may, thus, be arranged, preferably continuously, along a single dimension, usually as “length” of the linearly variable filter 118. By way of example, the linearly variable filter 118 may be a wedge filter that may carry at least one response coating 140 on a transparent substrate 142, wherein the response coating 140 may exhibit a spatially variable property, in particular, a spatially variable thickness (not depicted here). Herein, the transparent substrate 142 may comprise at least one material that may exhibit a high degree of optical transparency in the IR spectral range which can, preferably, be selected from the group consisting of calcium fluoride (CaF.sub.2,), fused silica, germanium (Ge), magnesium fluoride (MgF), potassium bromide (KBr), sapphire, silicon (Si), sodium chloride (NaCl), zinc selenide (ZnSe), zinc sulfide (ZnS), borosilicate glasses, transparent conducting oxides (TCO), and transparent organic polymers, wherein CaF.sub.2, fused silica, MgF, KBr, sapphire, Si, NaCl, ZnSe, ZnS, borosilicate glasses, transparent conducting oxides, and selected transparent organic polymers may, especially, be applicable for the NIR spectral range. However, other embodiments of the linearly variable filter 118 may also be feasible. However, other kinds of length variable filters may also be feasible for the purposes of the present invention.
[0125] The linearly variable filter 118 is designated for separating the incident light 114 into a spectrum comprising a plurality of wavelength-resolved partitions of the incident light 114. For this purpose, the incident light 114 may, preferably, pass through the linearly variable filter 118 at the particular spatial position 138 which is related to the wavelength of the incident light 114. After the incident light 114 has passed through the linearly variable filter 118 at the particular spatial position 138 related to the wavelength of the incident light 114, it, subsequently, impinges the detector array 112, in particular one of a plurality of sensor pixels 144 as comprised by the detector array 112. Thus, each of the sensor pixels 144 receives at least a portion of one of the constituent wavelength signals as provided by the incident light 114 after having passed through the linearly variable filter 118 as described above. Moreover, each of the sensor pixels 144 is adapted to provide a sensor signal which is related to an intensity of each constituent wavelength. In other words: The spectrometer system 110 is, thus, designated to generate a plurality of sensor signals based on the constituent wavelength signals, wherein each of the sensor signals is related to the intensity of each partition of the incident light 114.
[0126] As further indicated in FIG. 1, the detector array 112 may, preferably, be separated from the linearly variable filter 118 by a transparent gap 146, wherein the transparent gap 146 may, by way of example, be obtained by using the transparent substrate 142. As a result, by selecting a suitable width for the transparent gap 146 a more precise adjustment of the detector array 112 with regard to the linearly variable filter 118 can be achieved. In addition, adjusting the transparent gap 146 may allow further increasing the efficiency of the spectrometer system 110.
[0127] The plurality of sensor signals may, as schematically depicted in FIG. 1, via a signal lead 148 be transmitted to an evaluation unit 150 as further comprised by the spectrometer system 110. Herein, the evaluation unit 150 is, generally, designated for determining information related to a spectrum of the object 116 by evaluating the plurality of sensor signals as provided by the detector array 112. For this purpose, the evaluation unit 150 may comprise one or more electronic devices and/or one or more software components, in order to evaluate the plurality of the sensor signals, which are symbolically denoted by a signal evaluation unit 152. Herein, the evaluation unit 150 may be adapted to determine the at least one item of information related to a spectrum of the object 116 by comparing more than one of the sensor signals.
[0128] The incident light 114 which is received by the optical element 120 of the spectrometer device 112 may be generated by a light-emitting object 116. Alternatively or in addition, the incident light 114 may be generated by a separate illumination source 154, which may include an ambient light source and/or an artificial light source, in particular an incandescent lamp 156, which may be designated for illuminating the object 116 in a manner that at least a part of the light generated by the illumination source 154 may be able to pass through the object 116 (not depicted here) and/or in a manner that the object 116 may be able to reflect at least a part of the light generated by the illumination source 154 such that the incident light 114 may be configured to be received by the optical element 120. Herein, the illumination source 154 may be or comprise a continuously emitting light source and/or a modulated light source. As further depicted in FIG. 1, the illumination source 154 may be controlled by at least one illumination control unit 158 which may be adapted, if required, for providing modulated light. Herein, the illumination control unit 158 may, additionally, provide information about the illumination to the signal evaluation unit 152 and/or be controlled by the signal evaluation unit 152, which is symbolically indicated by a lead between the illumination control unit 158 and the signal evaluation unit 152 in FIG. 1. Alternatively or in addition, controlling the illumination of the object 116 may be effected in a beam path between the illumination source 154 and the object 116 and/or between the object 116 and the optical element 120. Further possibilities may be conceivable.
[0129] Generally, the evaluation unit 150 may be part of a data processing device 160 and/or may comprise one or more data processing devices 160. The evaluation unit 150 may be fully or partially integrated into a housing 162 which may further comprise the detector array 112, the linearly variable filter 118 and the optional optical element 120, and/or may fully or partially be embodied as a separate device which may electrically be connected in a wireless or wire-bound fashion to the detector array 112. The evaluation unit 150 may further comprise one or more additional components, such as one or more electronic hardware components and/or one or more software components, such as one or more measurement units and/or one or more evaluation units and/or one or more controlling units (not depicted here).
[0130] As further illustrated in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, the detector array 112, the linearly variable filter 118, and the optical element 120 may, in this particular embodiment, arranged along a common optical axis 164. Specifically, the optical axis 164 may be an axis of symmetry and/or rotation of the setup of at least one of the detector array 112, the linearly variable filter 118, and the optical element 120. Especially, the optical axis 164 may, thus, be parallel to a plane which is perpendicular to the receiving surface 136 of the linearly variable filter 118.
[0131] FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a front view of a known detector array 210 according to the state of the art, wherein the front of the detector array 210 is directed towards the linearly variable filter 118. As illustrated here, the detector array 210 comprises a substrate 212 which carries the plurality of the sensor pixels 144, wherein each sensor pixel 144 has a sensor region 214 which is designated for receiving a partition of the incident light 114. Herein, each sensor pixel 144 is designated for generating a sensor signal depending on an intensity of the partition of the incident light 114 being received by the corresponding sensor region 214. For this purpose, two electrodes 216, 218 of different polarity may be attached to a boundary of each sensor region 214 for receiving electric charges which may be generated by the incident light 114 within the corresponding sensor region 214. Thus, the sensor pixel 144 is designed to generate the sensor signals, preferably in form of electronic signals, which are associated with the intensity of the incident light 114 impinging on the individual sensor pixel 144.
[0132] As shown in FIG. 2, each of the sensor regions 214 in the plurality of the sensor pixels 144 in the known detector array 210 exhibits an identical shape, has a same size of the area 220, and is placed on the substrate 212 in a single line of orientation 222 along a direction of the single line in an equidistant manner having identical distances 224 between the centers of adjacent sensor pixels 144. As a consequence thereof, the known detector array 210 is designed for recording and generating a high-resolution spectrum, wherein a multitude of peaks in the spectrum can be determined each by forming an integral using the sensor signals of the respectively involved detector pixels 144 by using a computer program which is configured for this purpose.
[0133] In contrast to FIG. 2 which schematically depicts a typical embodiment of the known detector array 210 according to the state of the art, FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate various preferred exemplary embodiments of the detector array 112 according to the present invention. Herein, the exemplary embodiments of the detector array 112, again, comprises the substrate 212 and the plurality of the detector pixels 144 which are applied to a front surface of the substrate 212. Further, each detector pixel 144, again, has a sensor region 214 which is designated for receiving a partition of the incident light 114, wherein each detector pixel 144 is, again, designated for generating a sensor signal depending on an intensity of the partition of the incident light 114 which is being received by the sensor region 214 of the corresponding detector pixel 144. However, in contrast to the known detector array 210 according to the state of the art as depicted in FIG. 2, the sensor regions 214 of at least two of the detector pixels 144 in FIGS. 3 and 4 differ with respect to each other by a size of the respective area 220 of the corresponding sensor region 214.
[0134] In the preferred exemplary embodiments of the detector array 112 according to the present invention as illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B, each of the detector arrays 112 has, by way of example, seven different detector pixels 144-1, 144-2, 144-3, 144-4, 144-5, 144-6, and 144-7, [0135] wherein the sizes of the respective areas 220-1, 220-3, 220-4, and 220-7 of the corresponding sensor regions 214-1, 214-3, 214-4, and 214-7 of the detector pixels 144-1, 144-3, 144-4, and 144-7 differ with respect to each other and with respect to the other detector pixels 114-2, 144-5 and 144-6, [0136] while the other detector pixels 114-2, 144-5 and 144-6 exhibit the same size for the areas 220-2, 220-5 and 220-6 for the corresponding sensor regions 214-2, 214-5, 214-6, but, still, differ from the detector pixels 144-1, 144-3, 144-4, and 144-7.
[0137] As indicated above, other preferred exemplary embodiments of the detector array 112 may comprise a different number N 5 of detector pixels 144, however, preferably N 25, more preferred N≤10.
[0138] Consequently, the sensor regions 214 of at least two of the detector pixels 114 in the preferred exemplary embodiments of the detector array 112 of FIGS. 3A and 3B differ with respect to each other by a size of the respective area 220 of the corresponding sensor region 214. As further indicated therein, the two electrodes 216, 218 of different polarity which are attached to the boundary of the sensor region 214 of each individual detector pixel 144, accordingly, exhibits a size and shape which is adjusted to the actual size and shape of the sensor region 214 in a fashion that an extension of each electrode 216, 218 varies in accordance with the corresponding extension of the respective sensor region 214 where it is attached to.
[0139] Comparing the detector array 112 of FIG. 3A with the detector array 210 in FIG. 2 according to the state of the art, a density of the detector pixels 144 on a respective section of the substrate 212 differs in both embodiments. As a consequence, a frequency of occurrence of the detector pixels 144-1, 144-2, 144-3, 144-4, 144-5, 144-6, and 144-7 in the embodiment of FIG. 3A varies over each section of the substrate 212 compared to a single frequency of occurrence of the detector pixels 144 in the embodiment of FIG. 2. By way of example, the section could be defined by a surface area given by a width of the substrate 212 and a value of the distance 224 between the centers of adjacent sensor pixels 144 as illustrated in FIG. 2. Whereas the density of the detector pixels 144 on this section is 1 in FIG. 2, it differs from section to section in FIG. 3A. Similar considerations can be performed for the other embodiments of FIGS. 3B, 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B, 6A, and 6B.
[0140] As illustrated in FIG. 3A, the size of the areas 220 of the detector pixels 144 can only be varied along the line of orientation 222 with regard to the substrate of the detector array 212 which can be denoted by a width 226, whereas a length 228 of each detector pixel 144 may be maintained constant. Such a kind of embodiment can, in general, be advantageous since it may facilitate manufacturing of the detector array 112.
[0141] However, as illustrated in FIG. 3B, the size of the areas 220 of the detector pixels 144 cannot only be varied with respect to the width 226, i.e. along the line of orientation 222 but also with regard to the length 228 of each detector pixel 144 constant. In this particularly preferred embodiment, the corresponding areas 220 of the detector pixels 144 can, therefore, preferably be adjusted in order to align an electrical resistivity of the respective sensor regions 214 of the detector pixels 144. Consequently, each detector pixel 144 exhibits the same or a very similar electrical resistivity. Such a kind of embodiment can, particularly, be advantageous in a case in which the photosensitive material of the senor regions 214 is chosen from a photoconductive material as indicated above. Thus, the electrical conductivity of the corresponding sensor regions 214 of the detector pixels 144 could, equally, be adjusted. As a result thereof, an amplification factor for amplifying the sensor current can, advantageously, be chosen as equal for all detector pixels 114 in this kind of detector array 112, in which the sensor regions 214 comprise the same photoconductive material.
[0142] Thus, using the detector arrays 112 of FIGS. 3A and 3B in which the area 220 of each detector pixel 144 is adapted to peaks which are expected to occur in the spectrum to be investigated or monitored facilitates integration of the sensor signals by reducing the number of detector pixels 144 within the detector array 112 according to the present invention roughly to the number of peaks to be integrated for generating the sensor signal. In particular since the linearly variable filter 118 is fixed, the peaks always appear at the same position within the spectrum which, thus, allows placing the corresponding detector pixel 144 at the same location on the detector array 112. In addition, a formation of a ratio of integrals can even be determined by using analogue electronics which make use of the sensor signals of two detector pixels 144 which are assigned to peaks whereof a ratio is desired to be determined.
[0143] In the further preferred exemplary embodiments of the detector array 112 according to the present invention as illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B, each of the detector arrays 112 has, by way of example, seventeen different detector pixels 144-1, 144-2, . . . 144-17, wherein the sizes of the respective areas 220-1, 220-2, . . . 220-17 of the corresponding sensor regions 214-1, 214-2, . . . 214-17 of the detector pixels 144-1, 144-2, . . . 144-7 differ with respect to each other in a fashion that the sizes of the respective areas 220-1, 220-2, . . . 220-17 are adjusted to a spectral property of the partition of the incident light 114 which impinges on the corresponding sensor regions 214-1, 214-2, . . . 214-17 of the detector pixels 144-1, 144-2, . . . 144-7, preferably after having passed the linearly variable filter 118. As schematically depicted in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the variation of the sizes of the respective areas 220-1, 220-2, . . . 220-17 may follow a dependence of the bandwidth of the linearly variable filter 118 with regard to the location in the linearly variable filter 118 and, since the detector array 112 can be maintained in a fixed position with respect to the linearly variable filter 118, also in the detector array 112. In an embodiment in which the linearly variable filter 118 may be more selective at a first end 230 designed for receiving long wavelengths compared to a second end 232 designed for receiving a short wavelengths, the sizes of the respective areas 220-1, 220-2, . . . 220-17 may vary as illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B. In addition, it is emphasized that the difference between FIGS. 4A and 4B corresponds to the difference between FIGS. 3A and 3B as described above.
[0144] In further preferred exemplary embodiments of the detector array 112 according to the present invention (not depicted here) the sizes of the respective areas 220-1, 220-2, . . . 220-17 may vary with respect to a variation of an emission spectrum of the illumination source 154 which illuminates the object 116 generating the spectrum so that a linear or a flat spectrum can be obtained when the incident light 114 having this type of emission spectrum directly illuminates the detector array 112. However, additional embodiments of the detector array 112 are conceivable.
[0145] Further, FIGS. 5 and 6 show preferred exemplary embodiments of the front views of the detector array 112 according to the present invention, wherein the two different types of connection between adjacent detector pixels 144 with respect to an application of a power supply 310 to the detector pixels 144 of the detector array 112 are additionally illustrated. Herein, the detector arrays 112 of FIGS. 5A and 5B correspond to the detector arrays 112 of FIG. 3A while the detector arrays 112 of FIGS. 6A and 6B are similar to the detector arrays 112 of FIG. 4B. Similar embodiments (not depicted here) could also be provided for the detector arrays 112 of FIGS. 3B and 4A. For further details, reference can be made to the above description of FIGS. 3 and 4. In addition, further embodiments can be conceived, in particular, embodiments in which some of the detector pixels 144-1, 144-2, 144-3, . . . 144-N have a kind of power supply in accordance with a first embodiment while others of the detector pixels 144-1, 144-2, 144-3, . . . 144-N have a different kind of power supply in accordance with a different embodiment.
[0146] In a first embodiment of the power supply 310 as schematically depicted in FIG. 5A, individual power supplies 312-1, 312-2, 312-3, . . . 312-N are provided for each detector pixel 144-1, 144-2, 144-3, . . . 144-N. As advantage thereof, a current through and a responsivity for each detector pixel 144-1, 144-2, 144-3, . . . 144-N can be adjusted individually by using the individual power supplies 312-1, 312-2, 312-3, . . . 312-N. However, each detector pixel 144-1, 144-2, 144-3, . . . 144-N has an individual power supply 312-1, 312-2, 312-3, . . . 312-N in this embodiment, wherein a noise of the current through each detector pixel 144-1, 144-2, 144-3, . . . 144-N can differ with respect from each other. The embodiment of FIG. 5A may, in particular, be used in a case in which individual power supplies 312-1, 312-2, 312-3, . . . 312-N and corresponding individual read-out electronics 314-1, 314-2, 314-3, . . . 314-N can easily be provided for the detector pixels 144-1, 144-2, 144-3, . . . 144-N. Herein, an increase of efficiency of the detector array 112 can be obtained in an event in which the wavelengths impinging on the detector array 112 differ with respect to their respective band-with, wherein a linearization of the sensor signals of each detector pixel 144-1, 144-2, 144-3, . . . 144-N in the detector array 112 can be achieved by using the individual read-out electronics 314-1, 314-2, 314-3, . . . 314-N in an adapted fashion.
[0147] In a further embodiment of the power supply 310 as schematically depicted in FIG. 5B, a common electric potential 316 is provided for all detector pixels 144-1, 144-2, 144-3, . . . 144-N, thus, generating interconnection between the electrodes 216 of all detector pixels 144-1, 144-2, 144-3, . . . 144-N. As advantage thereof, the common electric potential 316 can be manufactured more easily using lithography compared to the individual power supplies 312-1, 312-2, 312-3, . . . 312-N of FIG. 5A. The embodiment of FIG. 5B may, in particular, be used in a case in which the individual read-out electronics 314-1, 314-2, 314-3, . . . 314-N can easily be adjusted to the corresponding detector pixel 144-1, 144-2, 144-3, . . . 144-N by generating only a single power voltage. Also here, an increase of efficiency of the detector array 112 can be obtained in an event in which the wavelengths impinging on the detector array 112 differ with respect to their respective band-with, wherein a linearization of the sensor signals of each detector pixel 144-1, 144-2, 144-3, . . . 144-N in the detector array 112 can also here be achieved by using the individual read-out electronics 314-1, 314-2, 314-3, . . . 314-N accordingly.
[0148] In the further embodiment of the power supply 310 as schematically depicted in FIG. 6A, the individual power supplies 312-1, 312-2, 312-3, . . . 312-N are—similar to the embodiment of FIG. 5A—provided for each detector pixel 144-1, 144-2, 144-3, . . . 144-N. As advantages thereof, the current through and a responsivity for each detector pixel 144-1, 144-2, 144-3, . . . 144-N can also here be adjusted individually by using the individual power supplies 312-1, 312-2, 312-3, . . . 312-N. In addition, each detector pixel 144-1, 144-2, 144-3, . . . 144-N exhibits the same aspect ratio, i.e. the same relation of the length 228 versus the width 226 of each detector pixel 144-1, 144-2, 144-3, . . . 144-N. As a particular advantage thereof, an electrical resistivity of the corresponding sensor regions 214-1, 214-2, 214-3, . . . 214-N of the detector pixels 144-1, 144-2, 144-3, . . . 144-N are aligned in a fashion that each detector pixel 144-1, 144-2, 144-3, . . . 144-N exhibits a dark resistance in the same order of magnitude. Consequently, the noise of the currents through the different detector pixels 144-1, 144-2, 144-3, . . . 144-N can assume a value within the same range. For further advantages and uses, please refer to the description of FIG. 5A.
[0149] In the further embodiment of the power supply 310 as schematically depicted in FIG. 6B, the common electric potential 316 is—similar to the embodiment of FIG. 5B—provided for all detector pixels 144-1, 144-2, 144-3, . . . 144-N, thus, also generating here interconnection between the electrodes 216 of all detector pixels 144-1, 144-2, 144-3, . . . 144-N. As advantage thereof, the common electric potential 316 can also here be manufactured more easily using lithography compared to the individual power supplies 312-1, 312-2, 312-3, . . . 312-N of FIG. 5A. The embodiment of FIG. 6B may, in particular, be used in a case in which the individual read-out electronics 314-1, 314-2, 314-3, . . . 314-N can easily be adjusted to the corresponding detector pixel 144-1, 144-2, 144-3, . . . 144-N by generating only a single power voltage. Also here, an increase of efficiency of the detector array 112 can be obtained in an event in which the wavelengths impinging on the detector array 112 differ with respect to their respective band-with, wherein a linearization of the sensor signals of each detector pixel 144-1, 144-2, 144-3, . . . 144-N in the detector array 112 can also here be achieved by using the individual read-out electronics 314-1, 314-2, 314-3, . . . 314-N accordingly. In addition, each detector pixel 144-1, 144-2, 144-3, . . . 144-N exhibits—similar to the embodiment of FIG. 6A—the same aspect ratio, i.e. the same relation of the length 228 versus the width 226 of each detector pixel 144-1, 144-2, 144-3, . . . 144-N, whereby the same particular advantage as indicated above that the electrical resistivity of the corresponding sensor regions 214-1, 214-2, 214-3, . . . 214-N of the detector pixels 144-1, 144-2, 144-3, . . . 144-N can be aligned in a fashion that the dark resistance of each detector pixel 144-1, 144-2, 144-3, . . . 144-N is in the same order of magnitude. Consequently, the noise of the currents through the different detector pixels 144-1, 144-2, 144-3, . . . 144-N can also here assume a value within the same range. For further advantages and uses, please refer to the description of FIGS. 5B and 6A.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS
[0150] 110 spectrometer system [0151] 112 detector array [0152] 114 incident light [0153] 116 object [0154] 118 linearly variable filter as a preferred example of a wavelength selective filter [0155] 120 optical element [0156] 122 inversely-operated optical concentrator device [0157] 124 reverse direction [0158] 126 non-conical shape [0159] 128 parabolic shape [0160] 130 input [0161] 132 guiding structure [0162] 134 output [0163] 136 receiving surface [0164] 138 spatial position [0165] 140 response coating [0166] 142 transparent substrate [0167] 144 detector pixel [0168] 146 transparent gap [0169] 148 signal lead [0170] 150 evaluation unit [0171] 152 signal evaluation unit [0172] 154 illumination source [0173] 156 incandescent lamp [0174] 158 illumination control unit [0175] 160 data processing device [0176] 162 housing [0177] 164 optical axis [0178] 210 known detector array according to the state of the art [0179] 212 substrate [0180] 214 sensor region [0181] 216 electrode [0182] 218 electrode [0183] 220 photosensitive area [0184] 222 line of orientation [0185] 224 distance [0186] 226 width [0187] 228 length [0188] 230 first end [0189] 232 second end [0190] 310 power supply [0191] 312 individual power supply [0192] 314 individual read-out electronics [0193] 316 common electric potential
