Spectrometer apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10557753-B2
Application number	US-201815938605-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 28, 2018
Priority date	Mar 28, 2018
Publication date	Feb 11, 2020
Grant date	Feb 11, 2020

Abstract

A spectrometer includes a substrate; a plurality of light detectors in the substrate; and a plurality of light filters over the plurality of light detectors, each of the plurality of light filters transmitting a different wavelength or reflecting a different wavelength, each of the light filters aligned with a corresponding one of the plurality of light detectors.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A spectrometer comprising:
a substrate;
a plurality of light detectors in the substrate;
a plurality of light filters over the plurality of light detectors, the plurality of light filters comprising electro-optic materials, each of the plurality of light filters transmitting a different wavelength or reflecting a different wavelength, each of the plurality of light filters aligned with a corresponding one of the plurality of light detectors; and
a circuit in the substrate, wherein the circuit is electrically coupled to the plurality of light filters, and wherein the circuit is configured to change optical characteristics of the plurality of light filters over time.

2. The spectrometer of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of light filters are configured in an array.

3. The spectrometer of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of light filters are configured in a matrix.

4. The spectrometer of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of light filters comprises an electro-optic material, and optical characteristics of each of the plurality of light filters are configured to be adjustable.

5. The spectrometer of claim 4 , wherein the optical characteristics of each of the plurality of light filters comprise a wavelength transmitted or reflected by the each of the plurality of light filters.

6. The spectrometer of claim 4 , wherein the optical characteristics of each of the plurality of light filters are configured to be adjusted by changing an electrical field applied, an electrical voltage applied, or by changing a temperature of each of the plurality of light filters.

7. The spectrometer of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of first transparent regions at least partially in the substrate and laterally adjacent to the plurality of light detectors; and
a plurality of second transparent regions over the substrate and at least partially between the plurality of light filters and the plurality of light detectors.

8. The spectrometer of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of layers over the substrate, wherein the plurality of light detectors are disposed in the plurality of layers.

9. The spectrometer of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of layer are non-transparent to wavelengths of the light analyzed by the plurality of light filters.

10. The spectrometer of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of layers comprise silicon, a dielectric material, or a polymer.

11. The spectrometer of claim 1 , further comprising a transparent layer between the plurality of light filters and the plurality of light detectors, the transparent layer being transparent to wavelengths of the light analyzed by the plurality of light filters, the transparent layer contacting an upper surface of the substrate.

12. A spectrometer comprising:
a substrate;
a plurality of light detectors in the substrate;
a first layer over the substrate; and
a prism at least partially in the first layer, the prism comprising an electro-optic material.

13. The spectrometer of claim 12 , further comprising a circuit in the substrate, wherein the circuit is electrically coupled to the prism, wherein the circuit is configured to adjust optical characteristics of the prism.

14. The spectrometer of claim 13 , further comprising a first opening in the first layer, wherein the prism is at least partially in the first opening, wherein the spectrometer further comprises movable microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) arms attached to the prism, wherein the movable MEMS arms are configured to mechanically adjust a position of the prism.

15. The spectrometer of claim 13 , further comprising a lens over the prism, wherein the lens is configured to focus light on two intersecting surfaces of the prism.

16. A method comprising:
filtering an optical signal using an array of light filters, the array of light filters comprising a first light filter and a second light filter, the first light filter comprising a first electro-optic material different from a second electro-optic material of the second light filter, the first light filter letting through a first transmitted optical signal having a first wavelength, the second light filter letting through a second transmitted optical signal having a second wavelength different from the first wavelength; and
detecting the first transmitted optical signal and the second transmitted optical signal.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises:
after detecting the first transmitted optical signal and the second transmitted optical signal, changing first optical characteristics of the first light filter and changing second optical characteristics of the second light filter;
after the changing, filtering the optical signal using the array of light filters, the first light filter letting through a third transmitted optical signal with a third wavelength, the second light filter letting through a fourth transmitted optical signal with a fourth wavelength different from the third wavelength; and
detecting the third transmitted optical signal and the fourth transmitted optical signal.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the changing comprises changing a voltage or a temperature of each of the array of light filters.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first light filter reflects a first reflected optical signal having a third wavelength, and the second light filter reflects a second reflected optical signal having a fourth wavelength different from the third wavelength, wherein the method further comprises detecting the first reflected optical signal and the second reflected optical signal.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
after detecting the first transmitted optical signal, the second transmitted optical signal, the first reflected optical signal, and the second reflected optical signal, changing optical characteristics of the array of light filters such that wavelengths of transmitted optical signals and wavelengths of reflected optical signals are changed;
after changing the optical characteristics of the array of light filters, filtering the optical signal using the array of light filters, wherein the first light filter lets through a third transmitted optical signal and reflects a third reflected optical signal, and the second light filter lets through a fourth transmitted optical signal and reflects a fourth reflected optical signal; and
detecting the third transmitted optical signal, the fourth transmitted optical signal, the third reflected optical signal, and the fourth reflected optical signal.

Assignees

• St Microelectronics Srl

Inventors

• Loi Sara
• Pagani Alberto
• Chiaretti Guido

Classifications

• G01J2003/2806

  Array and filter array · CPC title

• G01J3/0262

  Constructional arrangements for removing stray light · CPC title

• G01J3/2803

  using photoelectric array detector · CPC title

• G01J2003/1269

  Electrooptic filter · CPC title

• G01J3/0259

  Monolithic · CPC title