Spectrometer and manufacturing method thereof

Abstract

A spectrometer includes an input unit for receiving an optical signal, a diffraction grating disposed on the transmission path of the optical signal for dispersing the optical signal into a plurality of spectral rays, an image sensor disposed on the transmission path of at least a portion of the spectral rays, and a waveguide device. A waveguide space is formed between the first and second reflective surfaces of the waveguide device. The optical signal is transmitted from the input unit to the diffraction grating via the waveguide space. The portion of the spectral rays is transmitted to the image sensor via the waveguide space. At least one opening is formed on the waveguide device, and is substantially parallel to the first and/or second reflective surface. A portion of the spectral rays and/or the optical signal diffuses from the opening out of the waveguide space without reaching the image sensor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A spectrometer, comprising:
 a light input for receiving an optical signal;   a diffraction grating disposed on a transmission path of the optical signal from the light input for dispersing the optical signal into a plurality of spectral rays;   an image sensor disposed on a transmission path of at least a portion of the spectral rays; and   a waveguide having an end thereof to face one of the light input and the image sensor, comprising:
 a first reflective surface; and 
 a second reflective surface, wherein a waveguide space is formed between the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface, at least a portion of the optical signal is transmitted from the light input to the diffraction grating via the waveguide space, the at least a portion of the spectral rays is transmitted to the image sensor via the waveguide space; 
   wherein at least one opening is formed on the waveguide, the at least one opening is located on at least one of the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface to be spatially communicable with the waveguide space, and a first opening of the at least one opening is spaced from the end of the waveguide for a preset distance, a portion of a corresponding one of the spectral rays and the optical signal diffuses from the at least one opening out of the waveguide space without reaching the image sensor.   
     
     
         2 . The spectrometer according to  claim 1 , wherein the first opening is completely enclosed by the waveguide disposed between the diffraction grating and the image sensor. 
     
     
         3 . The spectrometer according to  claim 1 , wherein the first opening is completely enclosed by the waveguide disposed between the diffraction grating and the light input. 
     
     
         4 . The spectrometer according to  claim 1 , wherein the waveguide comprises:
 a first reflective mirror having the first reflective surface, and comprising a waveguide portion, wherein a light exit end of the waveguide portion facing a sensing surface of the image sensor defines the end of the waveguide; and   a second reflective mirror, having the second reflective surface, wherein the first reflective surface faces the second reflective mirror, and the second reflective surface faces the first reflective mirror.   
     
     
         5 . The spectrometer according to  claim 4 , wherein distances between the image sensor and a plurality of spots on the light exit end of the waveguide portion are not completely identical. 
     
     
         6 . The spectrometer according to  claim 4 , wherein the at least one opening tilts with respect to the sensing surface of the image sensor. 
     
     
         7 . The spectrometer according to  claim 1 , wherein the waveguide comprises at least one extension extending from the end of the waveguide to define a second opening different from the first opening of the at least one opening between the end and one of the image sensor and the light input. 
     
     
         8 . The spectrometer according to  claim 1 , wherein a width of the first opening along a direction of light transmission affects a moon shaped distribution of the at least a portion of the spectral rays, a width of the sensing surface of the image sensor along a direction parallel to a normal line of the first reflective surface affects an integral range of the image sensor, a divergence half angle of the optical signal incident the waveguide space from the light input along the direction parallel to the normal line of the first reflective surface affects an expansion of the moon shaped distribution, wherein by associating the width of the first opening along the direction of light transmission, the divergence half angle, and the width of the sensing surface along the direction parallel to the normal line of the first reflective surface, the width of the first opening allows the portion of at least one of the optical signal and the spectral rays to diffuse along the direction parallel to the normal line of the first reflective surface, so that two elongated portions of the moon shaped distribution derived from the divergence half angle substantially falls out of the integral range of the image sensor. 
     
     
         9 . The spectrometer according to  claim 1 , wherein the width of the first opening along a direction of light transmission is larger than or equal to 1 mm. 
     
     
         10 . The spectrometer according to  claim 9 , wherein the width of the first opening along the direction of light transmission falls within a range of 1 mm to 5 mm. 
     
     
         11 . The spectrometer according to  claim 1 , further comprising a light capturing structure disposed outside of the waveguide space for absorbing lights diffused from the first opening. 
     
     
         12 . A spectrometer, comprising:
 a light input for receiving an optical signal;   a diffraction grating disposed on a transmission path of the optical signal from the light input for dispersing the optical signal into a plurality of spectral rays;   an image sensor disposed on a transmission path of at least a portion of the spectral rays; and   a waveguide having an end thereof to face a selective one of the light input and the image sensor, comprising:
 a first reflective surface; and 
 a second reflective surface, wherein a waveguide space is formed between the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface, at least a portion of the optical signal is transmitted from the light input to the diffraction grating via the waveguide space, the at least a portion of the spectral rays is transmitted to the image sensor via the waveguide space; 
   wherein at least one opening is formed on the waveguide, the at least one opening is located on at least one of the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface to be spatially communicable with the waveguide space, and a portion of at least one of the spectral rays and the optical signal diffuses from the at least one opening out of the waveguide space without reaching the image sensor, the at least one opening is completely enclosed by the waveguide and disposed between the diffraction grating and the selective one of the light input and the image sensor.   
     
     
         13 . The spectrometer according to  claim 12 , wherein the at least one opening is disposed between the diffraction grating and the image sensor. 
     
     
         14 . The spectrometer according to  claim 12 , wherein the at least one opening is disposed between the diffraction grating and the light input. 
     
     
         15 . The spectrometer according to  claim 12 , wherein the waveguide comprises at least one extension extending from the end of the waveguide to define another opening different from the at least one opening between the end and the selective one of the image sensor and the light input. 
     
     
         16 . A spectrometer, comprising:
 a light input for receiving an optical signal;   a diffraction grating disposed on a transmission path of the optical signal from the light input for dispersing the optical signal into a plurality of spectral rays;   an image sensor disposed on a transmission path of at least a portion of the spectral rays; and   a waveguide having an end thereof to face a selective one of the light input and the image sensor, comprising:
 a first reflective surface; and 
 a second reflective surface, wherein a waveguide space is formed between the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface, at least a portion of the optical signal is transmitted from the light input to the diffraction grating via the waveguide space, the at least a portion of the spectral rays is transmitted to the image sensor via the waveguide space; 
   wherein at least one opening is formed on the waveguide, the at least one opening is located on at least one of the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface to be spatially communicable with the waveguide space, and a portion of at least one of the spectral rays and the optical signal diffuses from the at least one opening out of the waveguide space without reaching the image sensor, the at least one opening is defined to extend into the waveguide for a preset distance away from a side of the selective one of the light input and the image sensor facing the diffraction grating.   
     
     
         17 . The spectrometer according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one opening is completely enclosed by the waveguide disposed between the diffraction grating and the image sensor. 
     
     
         18 . The spectrometer according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one opening is completely enclosed by the waveguide disposed between the diffraction grating and the light input. 
     
     
         19 . The spectrometer according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one opening tilts with respect to a sensing surface of the image sensor. 
     
     
         20 . The spectrometer according to  claim 16 , wherein the waveguide comprises at least one extension extending from the end of the waveguide to define another opening different from the at least one opening between the end and the selective one of the image sensor and the light input.