University System of Maryland

Eitan Edrei

Giuliano Scarcelli

In a spectrometry setup where a first spectral component dominates a second spectral component having a different wavelength, diffraction of the first spectral component as it passes through the optical train of the spectrometer can produce spectral noise that obscures detection of the second spectral component. To reduce the spectral noise, the light from the spectrometer is subject to spatial filtering or interference such that effects of the first spectral component are removed, or at least reduced. The second spectral component can then be more readily detected by a detector after the spatial filtering or interference. In embodiments, the spatial filtering or interference may be provided by a filtering module, which may be installed in existing spectrometry setups or form part of a unitary spectrometry system.

Methods and devices for reducing spectral noise and spectrometry systems employing such devices

An optical system has an illumination optical assembly, a detection optical assembly, a wavefront shaping device, and a controller. The illumination optical assembly focuses interrogating optical radiation to a focal point on or in a sample. The interrogating optical radiation propagates to the focal point along a first optical axis. The detection optical assembly direct optical radiation emanating from the focal point to a detector. The emanating optical radiation propagates from the focal point along a second optical axis. The wavefront shaping device is disposed in an optical path of the interrogating optical radiation or in an optical path of the emanating optical radiation. The controller sets a configuration of the wavefront shaping device to correct for aberration. The first optical axis is at a non-zero angle with respect to the second optical axis.

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Silver Spring, MD, United States of America

Eitan Edrei