Very-high-resolution tandem Fabry-Perot etalon cylindrical beam volume hologram spectrometer for diffuse source spectroscopy.

We demonstrate a compact and slitless spectrometer with high resolution formed by cascading a Fabry-Perot etalon (FPE) and a cylindrical beam volume hologram (CBVH). The most significant advantage of this combined spectrometer is that we can independently encode spectral information of a diffuse beam in a 2D plane. Also, we show that in this slitless configuration we can simultaneously benefit from the advantages of both elements: the high resolution of the FPE and the large spectral range of the CBVH. Here, we report on the experimental demonstration of a spectrometer with better than 0.2 nm resolution.

Multifunctional and compact spectrometers based on cylindrical beam volume holograms.

We propose a new class of slitless spectrometers using cylindrical beam volume holograms. These holograms disperse an input beam in one direction in an output plane while they do not affect the beam in the perpendicular direction. We show that the spectral mapping of the input beam can be obtained in one direction and the beam can be independently modified in the perpendicular direction. Using this unique property, we demonstrate a spectral wrapping technique to considerably increase the operation spectral range of the slitless spectrometers, without sacrificing their resolution.

Dynamic optical correlation using localized holography.

A new technique for optical correlation using gated holographic recording is demonstrated. Several persistent holograms are localized within separate slices as close as 33 microm apart along the crystal. Individual holograms can be dynamically erased and rerecorded with no need to refresh all other recorded holograms. Experimental results showing the correlation capability, cross talk, shift invariance, and dynamicity of the localized holographic correlator demonstrate unique performance and capabilities for these correlators.

Multiple order coded aperture spectrometer.

We introduce a multiple order coded aperture (MOCA) spectrometer. The MOCA is a system that uses a multiplex hologram and a coded aperture to increase the spectral range and throughput of the system over conventional spectrometers while maintaining spectral resolution. This results in an order of magnitude reduction in system volume with no loss in resolution.

Analysis of slitless holographic spectrometers implemented by spherical beam volume holograms.

The analysis of a slitless volume holographic spectrometer is presented in detail. The spectrometer is based on a spherical beam volume hologram followed by a Fourier-transforming lens and a CCD. It is shown that the spectrometer is not sensitive to the incident angle of the input beam for the practical range of applications. A holographic spectrometer based on the conventional implementation is also analyzed, and the results are used to compare the performance of the proposed method with the conventional one. The experimental results are consistent with the theoretical study. It is also shown that the slitless volume holographic spectrometer lumps three elements (the entrance slit, the collimator, and the diffractive element) of the conventional spectrometer into one spherical beam volume hologram. Based on the unique features of the slitless volume holographic spectrometer, we believe it is a good candidate for portable spectroscopy for environmental and biological applications.

Sensitivity variation in two-center holographic recording.

An experimental study of variation of sensitivity with recording and sensitizing intensities in two-center recording is presented. The experimental results are in good agreement with the theoretical predictions. It is shown experimentally, for what is to our knowledge the first time, that the sensitivity is a function of the ratio of recording to sensitizing intensities and not the absolute intensities. Also, the ratio of recording to sensitizing intensities should be small to obtain high sensitivity values. We also report the highest sensitivity (S=0.15 cm/J) that has been achieved to date for a LiNbO3:Fe:Mn crystal.

Compact Fourier-transform volume holographic spectrometer for diffuse source spectroscopy.

We present a new idea for diffuse source spectroscopy using a Fourier-transform volume holographic spectrometer formed by a Fourier-transform lens, a volume hologram, and a CCD. We show that this spectrometer can operate well under spatially incoherent light illumination. Furthermore, this spectrometer is less bulky, less sensitive to input alignment, and potentially more appropriate for implementation of highly sensitive spectrometers than conventional spectrometers.

Role of recording geometry in the performance of spectral diversity filters with spherical beam volume holograms.

We present experimental demonstrations of spectral diversity filters with spherical beam volume holograms for multimodal multiplex spectroscopy. Major properties of filters under diffuse-light illumination are discussed. The comparisons of spectral diversity between the transmission geometry holograms and the reflection geometry holograms are also studied. The results show that there is a trade-off between the degree of the spatial coherence of the source and the spectral diversity of the filter. We also conclude that the reflection geometry holograms have better spectral diversity and less sensitivity to the spatial coherence of the source.

Qualitative demonstration of spectral diversity filtering using spherical beam volume holograms.

We investigate the feasibility of designing spectral diversity filters using spherical beam volume holograms. Our experimental results qualitatively show the separation of the information of different incident wavelength channels using spherical beam volume holograms. The major trade-off in using these holograms is between the degree of spatial spectral diversity and the number of allowed spatial modes (or the divergence angle) of the incident beam.

Spherical beam volume holograms for spectroscopic applications: modeling and implementation.

The spherical beam volume hologram, recorded by a plane wave and a spherical beam, is investigated for spectroscopic applications in detail. It is shown that both the diffracted and the transmitted beam can be used for spectroscopy when the hologram is read with a collimated beam. A new method is introduced and used for analysis of the spherical beam volume hologram that can be extended for analysis of arbitrary holograms. Experimental results are consistent with the theoretical study. It is shown that the spherical beam volume hologram can be used in a compact spectroscopic configuration when the transmitted beam is monitored. Also, on the basis of the properties of the spherical beam hologram, the response of a hologram recorded by a plane wave and an arbitrary pattern is predicted. The information can be used to optimize holographic spectrometer design.