20130169959 | ZERO ORDER SENSING TO INCREASE LIGHT COLLECTION IN A SPECTROMETER - A system for increasing light collection in a spectrometer includes a detector and a processor. The detector detects zero order diffraction light from a diffractive element of a spectrometer and measures an intensity of the zero order diffraction light. A processor continuously receives the intensity measurement from the detector and automatically adjusts a parameter of the spectrometer until a maximum intensity measurement is received from the detector. A parameter of the spectrometer can include an optical path between an aperture of the spectrometer and a sample, an exposure time of the spectrometer, or an intensity of a light source for the spectrometer. The optical path between an aperture of the spectrometer and a sample can be adjusted by moving an objective lens of the spectrometer with respect to the sample or moving the sample with respect to the spectrometer. | 07-04-2013 |