| abstract |
The invention relates to an optical or infrared (IR) spectrometer suitable for on-line measurements for industrial, agrculture, field, commercial and other similar applications. Optical spectrometers are very useful for various analytical measurements. On-line operation is needed for obtaining real-time information, which is useful e.g. for process automation and quality control needs. The invention is based on optical design optimized for measuring moving samples (3) at a distance and comprises a light guide (6) for signal homogenisation, a linear varible filter (11) for defining multiple measurement wavelengths as well as a linear detector array (12) for detecting optical signals relating to the different wavelengths. There are means (13) for cooling and stabilizing the operating temperature of both the linear detector array (12) and the linear variable filter (11), while the spectrometer is operating in variable enviromental conditions. Thanks to the optical signal chain designed to maximize the radiance at the detector, the proposed spectrometer can provide high signal-to-noise ratio and high speed. |