Remote spectral imaging system (RSIS) based on an acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF)

This paper describes a new remote spectral imaging system (RSIS) based on an acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF) capable of remote sensing using an imaging fiberoptic probe (IFP). A two-dimensional charge coupled device (CCD) was used as a detector. The AOTF was used as a wavelength selector. Unlike a tunable grating or prism based monochromator, the tunable filter has no moving parts, and it can be rapidly tuned to any wavelength in its operating range. The large aperture of the AOTF and its high spatial resolution allowed the optical image from an IFP to be recorded by a CCD. These characteristics, combined with their small size, make AOTF's important new alternatives to conventional monochromators, especially for spectral multisensing and imaging. A prototype RSIS system, using both IFP and AOTF, was developed and its feasibility for spectral imaging was demonstrated.

Duke Scholars

Author Tuan Vo-Dinh Biomedical Engineering