Spectrometry system with decreased light path

Abstract

A spectrometer comprises a plurality of isolated optical channels comprising a plurality of isolated optical paths. The isolated optical paths decrease cross-talk among the optical paths and allow the spectrometer to have a decreased length with increased resolution. In many embodiments, the isolated optical paths comprise isolated parallel optical paths that allow the length of the device to be decreased substantially. In many embodiments, each isolated optical path extends from a filter of a filter array, through a lens of a lens array, through a channel of a support array, to a region of a sensor array. Each region of the sensor array comprises a plurality of sensor elements in which a location of the sensor element corresponds to the wavelength of light received based on an angle of light received at the location, the focal length of the lens and the central wavelength of the filter.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A spectrometer, comprising:
 a light path passing sequentially through a filter matrix, a lens array and a detector; and   at least one opaque aperture array between the filter matrix and the lens array,   wherein the light path ends at the detector,   wherein the detector comprises multiple sensors, and   wherein a distance of the light path between the filter matrix and the detector is less than 9 millimeters (mm).